In a very short space of time, MG has moved from being a classic British manufacturer of niche convertible sports cars dating back to the 1920s, to a contemporary marque catering for budget-conscious, first-time car buyers and young families, to now being an indicator of future styling with the edgy Marvel R.
Being part of the new genre of MG, owned by SAIC, it’s fully electric and, like The National’s test car did, likely to turn heads at every intersection with its distinctive lines.
Power for the Comfort and Luxury-spec models comes from two electric motors, both at the rear. It takes a different approach, in that one motor is bigger than the other so when you drive at a constant speed, only the larger electric motor is enabled. However, when accelerating, the smaller one chips in to help as a booster and both are powered by the same 70kWh battery.
The%20specs
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When combined, the MG Marvel R delivers 178bhp and 410Nm of torque driving through the rear wheels and returns 402km of range. Performance is at the lower end of the EV scale with 7.9 seconds to 100kph and a 200kph top speed, but like all EVs, there is zero delay in getting that power to the road, so it feels faster than the numbers suggest.
The upside of having motors in the rear is the traction; while the downside is that you lose boot space compared to most competitors, which have motors in the front axle. That gives them about 500 litres of space, whereas the Marvel R’s boot space is 357 litres. This is still good enough for shopping, but not as cavernous as the Renault Megane or VW ID4. In fairness, though, once you drop the seats, the MG’s luggage space expands to a very welcome 1,396 litres.
There is another option with the Performance model that adds a third motor located in the front axle, making it a permanent all-wheel drive, which delivers 284bhp and a meaty 665Nm of torque.
The Performance Marvel R gets to 100kph in 4.9 seconds with the same top speed, but the trade-off is that range dips to 370km. The battery has an 11kW 3-phase charger for AC charging and is geared up for fast charging, which allegedly gets you from five to 80 per cent in 43 minutes.
Its interior is just as futuristic as its exterior with a large 19.4-inch portrait-style touchscreen that has all the usual Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. It also has MG’s new iSmart connectivity system, which allows you to control various things remotely and enables a host of over-the-air updates.
MG has entered an agreement with Google for mapping to access real-time traffic information and, in time, it will also help you search for parking spaces, get the weather forecast and stream music. Voice commands let you operate other functions such as changing the air-conditioning temperature or opening the sunroof.
Vehicle-to-load system (V2L) is another great innovation for EVs. This allows you to charge other electrical items from the car, adding a new world of possibilities to camping. The Marvel R is trialling this, so it will be able to power external lights, air pumps, computers, phones and even e-scooters. MG says it should also give a quick emergency charge to other battery-powered electric vehicles similar to a jump-start on conventional cars.
Driving is as easy and as silent as you’d expect. Regeneration through the brake pedal is not as extreme as others and it’s a long way from being a one-pedal operation like the Nissan Leaf; however, it does offer three levels of regen from almost nil to reasonable. Hyundai’s Kona is still one of the only EVs that will actually stop the car with maximum regen, topping up the battery and effectively taking over the job of braking the car in most situations.
Hopefully, the Marvel R will get the tick of approval for the UAE and be on sale here early this year as it provides a much-needed electric offering for those looking to go EV on a budget, as well as throwing in cutting-edge technology and futuristic styling as well.
The biog
Name: Sarah Al Senaani
Age: 35
Martial status: Married with three children - aged 8, 6 and 2
Education: Masters of arts in cultural communication and tourism
Favourite movie: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
Favourite hobbies: Art and horseback ridding
Occupation: Communication specialist at a government agency and the owner of Atelier
Favourite cuisine: Definitely Emirati - harees is my favourite dish
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MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
RESULTS
6pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 1 (PA) $55,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Rajeh, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi (trainer)
6.35pm: Oud Metha Stakes – Rated Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Get Back Goldie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill
7.10pm: Jumeirah Classic – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Sovereign Prince, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
7.45pm: Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.20pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 2 (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Hot Rod Charlie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill
8.55pm: Al Bastakiya Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Withering, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
9.30pm: Balanchine – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Creative Flair, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
SPECS
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The biog
Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer
Marital status: Single
Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran
Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food
Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish
Website: www.liliane-tannoury.com
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The biog
Simon Nadim has completed 7,000 dives.
The hardest dive in the UAE is the German U-boat 110m down off the Fujairah coast.
As a child, he loved the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau
He also led a team that discovered the long-lost portion of the Ines oil tanker.
If you are interested in diving, he runs the XR Hub Dive Centre in Fujairah
It
Director: Andres Muschietti
Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor
Three stars
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S24%20ULTRA
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
Racecard
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The%20specs
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School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
Results
International 4, United States 1
Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods (US) beat Marc Leishman and Joaquin Niemann (International) 4 and 3.
Adam Hadwin and Sungjae Im (International) beat Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay (US) 2 up.
Adam Scott and Byeong Hun An (International) beat Bryson DeChambeau and Tony Finau (US) 2 and 1.
Hideki Matsuyama and C.T. Pan (International) beat Webb Simpson and Patrick Reed (US) 1 up.
Abraham Ancer and Louis Oosthuizen (International) beat Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland (US) 4 and 3.
More on Quran memorisation:
The%20specs
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