MG Cyberster revealed
MG used April’s Auto Shanghai motor show to announce they’ll be officially returning to the sportscar field with their ‘Cyberster’ EV roadster.
The first sportscar to wear an MG badge since the mid-engined MG TF was discontinued in 2011, the Cyberster is due to be released in 2024; just in time for the centenary of the first MG model, the 14/28 Super Sports roadster.
Additionally, MG says the Cyberster will open a new chapter in the MG story, with other recreational and performance models to come, breaking out of the compact and SUV space that the brand has occupied since it was reborn under SAIC ownership.
“This is the perfect time to introduce an MG that completely reconnects with our performance DNA and is designed to enthral the driver on every level,” said Guy Pigounakis, MG Motor UK’s Commercial Director. “MG is all set for an electric, sporting future and it is the perfect way to start celebrating our 100th anniversary.”
Toned Down, but not Too Much
While the production Cyberster features far fewer of the extravagances that marked the 2021 concept, it hasn’t abandoned all of them.
The Scissor doors have made it to the production model, along with yoke steering instead of a conventional wheel and screens for the instrumentation and infotainment, but in a move that's being re-introduced by other carmakers, the Cyberster will have a conventional fabric convertible hood, instead of a folding hardtop. This is likely a weight-reduction move, to counter the impact of the EV motor and batteries on overall vehicle weight.
A long bonnet, short boot and “curvaceous surfaces” pay homage to MGs of the past, particularly the MGA and MGB, but the Kammback rear is a new feature, at least in terms of its application to an MG.
Speaking of the Cyberster’s seemingly production-ready appearance, Carl Gotham, Advanced Design Director at MG’s London design studio, said: “Our intention was to create a completely new roadster ready for a new generation of sportscar drivers and which opens a bold and compelling new chapter for MG.
“The focus for Cyberster was to create a design that was respectful of the brand’s illustrious past and brings back that sporting bloodline, while also being absolutely clear that it should be modern and forward-facing like the MG of today, completely in-tune with the rapid transition to electric vehicles.”
EV spec - TBC
What MG calls “cutting-edge driver technology” will feature in the Cyberster’s two-seater cabin, but like the drivetrain, power outputs, range and many other features, these technologies are yet to be revealed or officially confirmed.
What is known is that the Cyberster will be on a par with a BMW Z4 or Porsche 718 Boxster in terms of its size. According to Autocar in the UK, Chinese government filings that were made ahead of the Auto Shanghai show release confirm the EV roadster will measure 4535mm long, 1913mm wide and 1329mm high. That’s 620mm longer, 178mm wider and 99mm higher than a Mazda MX-5, which some may have thought would be the Cyberster’s direct rival.
Those same filings point to single- and dual-motor versions being available, with the former delivering 230kW and the latter 400kW, while 0-100km/h is achieved in under 3.0 seconds and range is predicted to be as much as 800km.
Motor choice will determine weight, with between 1850kg and 1985kg listed, which is heavier than a Porsche 718 Boxster by as much as 550kg and close to 1,000kg more than an MX-5, but the EV’s acceleration cancels out any perceived inaccuracies, along with the additional power, which trumps the MX-5 and 718 Boxster in two-motor form.
The Cyberster will feature its own platform that’s different from existing MG models and was first seen on the E-Motion coupe concept from 2017. Battery technology in this platform is said to differ from the conventional module type, concentrating power density and improving production efficiency.
UK, Europe First. Australia Confirmed
In their release announcing that the Cyberster will go into production, MG stated that the EV roadster is expected to go on sale in European and UK markets by mid-2024. RHD production for the UK means the Cyberster was likely to come to Australia, too, and this has recently been confirmed.
“We will be bringing the MG Cyberster to the Australian and New Zealand market and hope to have more exciting news to share around this in due course,” said an MG Motor Australia spokesperson.
No pricing has been revealed at time of writing, but in line with MG’s existing offerings, the Cyberster is expected to be significantly cheaper than current EV sports and performance cars.
