Hector flashes made-for-India badge as MG Motor plays down ownership

As the British-born auto brand from MG Motor completes a year in India, it keeps the celebratory pitch low and plays down its Chinese ownership

When MG Motor rolled its flagship SUV (sports utility ve­hicle) Hector out on to Indian roads a year ago, it was impossible to miss the marketing hoopla around the launch. On busy highways, large hoardings fla­shed life-size images of the then newly-appointed brand ambassador Benedict Cum­berbatch, while the company’s social media timelines buzzed hourly with updates, videos and memes.

On June 29, MG Motor completed a year of selling Hector, but the celebrations are a blink-and-miss. Caught in the crossfire of Sino-India border skirmishes and strained by the severe impact of the pandemic on its business, Brand Hector is foregoing