The Cyberster will see MG return to the sports car market
- MG Cyberster: exterior design
- MG Cyberster: interior and technology
- MG Cyberster: performance and release date
We now have our best look yet at MG’s upcoming Cyberster, thanks to these leaked official images that are circulating on a Chinese social media website.
2024 will mark 100 years of MG, and for much of that time small affordable roadsters were the brand’s bread and butter. It looks like the spirit of the iconic MGB will live on with this all-new, all-electric MG Cyberster.
These new images taken by MG for government patent filings look pretty much identical to previous leaked patent images of the car, hinting that the Cyberster’s design is almost complete. The production car will essentially be a toned-down version of the wild Cyberster concept car shown to us in 2021.
The Cyberster is expected to sit at the top of the MG range which already has three pure-EVs – the new MG4, MG5 estate and the MG ZS EV.
MG Cyberster: exterior design
Although MG Motor might be owned by Chinese manufacturer SAIC Motor, the design for the Cyberster has been created by the firm’s design house in London. The concept featured plenty of eye-catching details, such as ‘Magic Eye’ headlights that open when turned on, the Laser Belt line of LEDs along the side, and the squared-off Kammback tail.
These leaked images show the production car will be a little less aggressive, with a small grille at the bottom of the front bumper and a long bonnet with plenty of creases and slashes that cascades into the nose. The ‘Magic Eye’ headlights have been replaced with more conventional units.
The filings also hint the overall proportions of the Cyberster will see it measure 4,535mm long, 1,913mm wide and 1,329mm high – similar numbers to the BMW Z4.
The finned side skirts of the concept remain, although the Laser Belt has been toned down. Plus, the open-top speedster design of the concept has been swapped for a folding fabric roof, which should be more appropriate for the British climate.
As on the Cyberster, the rear end of the new car features some outlandish brake-light design. However, whether or not the units resemble the British flag (like the rear lights on the current MINI) or gigantic arrows is up for debate.
The concept’s rear diffuser has shrunk, but the Kammback rear end remains. It gives the car a traditional profile, with proportions more akin to the classic MGB, rather than the firm’s most recent convertible car, the TF.
MG Cyberster: interior and technology
The interior of the Cyberster will be vastly different from the likes of the MG4 and MG5. Thanks to leaked images of a test car from the Chinese site Weibo, we can confirm a yoke-style steering wheel will feature – similar to what Tesla offers in the Model S and Model X.
MG could fit a variable-ratio steering system to make the yoke easier to operate at low speeds, but this hasn’t been confirmed. Either way, it’s likely that the shift paddles behind the yoke will be used to adjust the car’s brake regen settings, given the Cyberster’s EV powertrain.
Behind the steering yoke there’s a curved digital dash which coupled with the rather cocooning centre console makes for a driver-focused cabin. The main screen is likely to be a 10.25-inch touchscreen taken from the MG4. An array of physical buttons sit on the dash and there’s another, third screen located on the centre console. Previous spy images have shown the Cyberster will use the concept’s ‘Zero Gravity’ floating head restraints.
The party piece of the Cyberster will undoubtedly be the scissor doors that swing upwards – this feature was hinted at by an official video posted by MG.
We expect the Cyberster to offer MG’s full range of interior technology and safety systems. The new MG4 in range-topping Trophy Long Range guise is equipped with active emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, lane change assist and blind spot detection.
MG Cyberster: performance and release date
The latest leaks also provide some information about the Cyberster’s performance. It will come in two powertrain formats – with single and dual motor options. The single motor will come with 309bhp and the dual-motor will have 536bhp.
The single-motor Cyberster will weigh 1,850kg (about the same as a BMW M3 Touring) and the dual-motor variant will tip the scales at 1,985kg. The top speed should stand at around 124mph.
MG claimed the Cyberster concept could do 500 miles on a single charge and accelerate from 0-62mph in less than three seconds. With well over 500bhp on tap we could see the production dual-motor car offer similar numbers.
The sports car’s powertrain is likely to be geared for performance rather than efficiency, but we expect it to at least match the 273-mile range of the ZS Long Range SUV.
The car could hit the roads in 2024 to coincide with MG’s centenary, possibly with an MGC EV badge, following parent firm SAIC filing a trademark for the name. Direct rivals will be few and far between, but the new car could give buyers of internal combustion-engined convertibles like the Mazda MX-5 and BMW Z4 a new avenue to explore.
For an alternative view, see our sister site DrivingElectric.com's coverage of the MG Cyberster…
Keyword: New MG Cyberster revealed as all-electric roadster