The production sports car's design just leaked, and it looks like a winner.
You're looking at leaked images of the new MG Cyberster, courtesy of China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology website. The production version will debut next week at the Shanghai Auto Show.
According to the leaked document, the Cyberster will be available with rear- and all-wheel drive, with the dual-motor version having a total of 536 horsepower on tap. There's also a single-motor RWD version with an output of 310 hp.
Oddly, no details regarding the batteries or range were listed, but we do know the top speed is 124 mph (likely limited) and that it will allegedly take less than three seconds to hit 62 mph.
The lithium-ion battery pack is manufactured by China's SAIC. The Cyberster measures 178.5 inches long, 75.3 inches wide, and 52.3 inches tall. The wheelbase comes in at 105.9 inches. To put that into perspective, the current generation Mazda MX-5 Miata is 154.1 inches long and 68.3 inches wide. The Cyberster is not as small as the images would have you believe. The Cyberster, however, weighs quite a bit more than that little Japanese-built roadster at 4,079 pounds versus 2,332 lbs.
There was a time when we all assumed Tesla would be the first to have an all-electric roadster that was not a heavily repackaged Lotus Elise. Still, the original Tesla is holding up quite well.
The second-generation Roadster was first shown to the world in concept form in 2017, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has suggested production could finally begin this year. The new Roadster (whenever it arrives) will be significantly faster than the Cyberster. Musk has previously claimed performance specs of 2.1 seconds 0-60 mph time and a top speed above 250 mph.
The Cyberster may not have the new Roadster's crazy performance specs, but chances are it'll be far more reasonably priced and more readily available. As you can see in the image below, the Cyberster will be available with various customization options. Given the Chinese and English badges, the Cyberster will likely be exported to the UK and Australia.
The Roadster is expected to cost at least $200,000 and won't be produced in large numbers. We'll find out the Cyberster's price and other details soon. And no, it's not coming to the US because this MG has no presence in this market.
The MG brand was bought by China's SAIC Motor 16 years ago after the collapse of the UK's MG Rover Group, which was the last British-owned mass-production automaker. SAIC's purchase of MG was very controversial at the time, considering the latter was synonymous with the UK. Chinese ownership turned out to be great for the brand, and it now produces seven modern models, and sales are looking good in the UK. Glancing over the product portfolio, you can't help but notice the lack of a sporty model, which is a pity considering MG's heritage.
With the launch of the Cyberster, it's clear MG is returning to its roadster roots.
Keyword: Leaked: MG Cyberster Beats Tesla To The Electric Roadster Punch