China’s Range Rover beater coming to Oz?

Four months after taking the wraps off its ultra-luxury, large three-row LS9 SUV, MG’s premium IM sub-brand has confirmed domestic pricing for its hybrid flagship.

Marketed in China under the IM Zhiji brand, LS9 pricing starts at ¥346,900 for the 52 Ultra, rising to ¥376,900 for the 66 Ultra, which on a straight currency conversion equates to $74,858 and $81,332, respectively. 

Even with a generous price bump to account for import, distribution and retail costs, at ‘around $100K’ the LS9 would surely present a next-step opportunity for IM in Australia, sitting above the mid-size pure-electric IM5 sedan and IM6 SUV (both priced from $60,990-$80,990, before on-road costs). 

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Offered in two grades - 52 Ultra and 66 Ultra - the LS9 is a sleek range-extender hybrid measuring an imposing 5.3 metres end-to-end.

It features a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine operating purely as a generator to charge the 52kWh or 66kWh battery pack, the latter delivering an electric-only driving range of 402km according to the more generous China Light-duty Test Cycle (CLTC) rather than the benchmark WLTP regime. Plug-in charging is also possible.

Dual motors deliver a solid 390kW/670Nm with drive going to all four wheels and four-wheel steering is standard, the latter allowing the rear wheels to counter-steer at slow speeds as well as align for a lateral crabbing motion during parking manoeuvres.

The six-seater’s standard features include a 27.1-inch configurable dual-screen instrument and media display, 15.6-inch 3K passenger entertainment screen and a 21.5-inch 5K screen for second and third row passengers. 

The second-row right-hand side seat features a ‘zero-gravity’ mode as well as the ability to fold and slide the front passenger seat forward for extended VIP legroom.

An in-car refrigerator, massage seats, Bang & Olufsen audio, air suspension, dual sunroofs, hectares of quilted Nappa leather trim and more are also fitted.

Orders for the LS9 have opened with domestic deliveries scheduled to begin on November 12th, with an LS9 Hyper version arriving in the first quarter of 2026.

MG Motor Australia CEO Peter Ciao has previously told CarsGuide all IM Motors vehicles are developed as part of a global strategy, so all models are potentially on the cards for Australia.

And while not specifically confirming the LS9 for local sale, an MG Motor Australia spokesperson told us, “MG Motor Australia is planning its model line-up for 2026 and beyond and confirms expansion of the IM model range forms part of this planning.” Stay tuned!