Gasgoo.com (Shanghai February 20) - SAIC Group's newest addition to its MG brand, the MG5, will be released next month, Beijing News reported today. The 1.5 L version of the new compact will be available first, while the turbocharged version will hit the market in the latter half of the year.

Derived from the Roewe 350 (much in the same way its sister car the MG6 is from the Roewe 550), the MG5 (pictured) hopes to use fashionable English design to help SAIC further penetrate the compact market. The MG5 will be outfitted with a navigation system, large LCD display, multi-functional steering wheel, electronic windows and several other functions. The car will also be equipped with SAIC's brand new iVoka voice control system.

The 1.5 L engine in the MG5 is the same as in the Roewe 350. It has a maximum output of 80 kW and can produce up to 135 Nm of torque.