MG Cyberster (2024 - )

MG is a brand that’s loving life right now, writes Tim Barnes-Clay. It is still toasting the success of the quite excellent MG4 EV, which ticks just about every box while keeping the price down for an electric car – without cutting any corners.

Now, it's taken the platform and electric motors of the MG4 EV and given it a sports car body.

Theoretically, sports cars are no strangers to MG.

Despite its recent focus on producing estates and SUVs, MG's roots as a sports car brand go back 100 years, with a legacy of manufacturing some of the most iconic British sports cars.

But it’s a new direction for the company under its Chinese owners, SAIC – and while sports cars are easy to make, they aren’t easy to make well.

Thankfully, the equipment lists create an excellent first impression.

You get 19-inch alloys and six-way power adjustment in the front seats, which are heated and have a memory function, as well as leather-style upholstery with Alcantara inserts. 

There are also no fewer than four screens – three housed in one unit behind the steering wheel, comprising two seven-inch infotainment screens and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster in the middle. The fourth screen is separate and has a seven-inch display. It sits in the middle of the dashboard and controls various functions related to the car's setup.

DAB radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite navigation, and voice control are included, along with a Bose premium audio system, front and rear parking sensors, a heated steering wheel, and powered lumbar support.

Power-folding door mirrors and Lamborghini-style scissor doors are also featured, along with dual-zone climate control, metal sports pedals, rain-sensing wipers, and keyless entry/go.

Our top-of-the-range GT model gets larger 20-inch alloys, but the main difference is in the electric motor – plural in the GT’s case.

The Trophy model has a single motor with rear-wheel drive, producing 335PS, whereas the GT has two, outputting a total of 496 horses – plus all-wheel drive.

The Cyberster’s styling has everything you could want in a sports car. Its sculpted front end features air intakes while the bodywork thins out to create a front splitter.

The side skirts, door indentations, and creases really bring out the beautiful shape at the sides. The rump features a horizontal light bar, indicators shaped like arrows, and bodywork that rises up to accommodate a rear diffuser.

Inside, the MG is opulent and just as sophisticated, with the centre console neatly dividing itself to surround the driver in a cockpit-like command console.

The four screens dominate the interior, and as three of them are housed in one unit behind the steering wheel, the unit is centrally positioned in the middle of the wheel, instead of being offset to the left, as it is in most other cars.

The thick, flat-bottomed sports steering wheel, with its silver spokes, looks racey and inviting, while the entire interior design is gorgeous.

The infotainment system is unusual because functions that would normally be contained within one screen in most cars are split between three of the four screens.

The centre console screen controls functions related to the car’s setup, including a custom driving mode which allows you to adjust the suspension, steering weight and throttle sensitivity.

Media information, route planning, and useful data, such as battery usage information, are divided between the two seven-inch screens on the left and right of the wheel. It makes it easier to use, as there are fewer sub-menus to explore. However, the sub-menus that are included aren’t the most intuitive. It is also rather distracting to have such a huge amount of data constantly displayed in front of you.

Happily, the temperature and air speed of the climate control are adjusted via a row of buttons in the middle of the dashboard. However, they are touch-sensitive haptic feedback buttons, which aren't the easiest to operate on the fly.

Nevertheless, the interior looks as cool as the exterior - and even the downsides will do MG no harm when it comes to selling the car.
 

Even the lower-powered Cyberster Trophy accelerates to 62mph in 5.0 seconds, reaching a top speed of 121mph.

However, the GT version, which we're testing, does the same in 3.2 seconds and tops out at 125mph.

The acceleration hits as soon as you press the throttle pedal, and this added to the Launch Control function, provides a seamless, grip-induced take-off that feels viciously fast.

Thankfully, the Cyberster is not just quick in a straight line - it's also nice to drive around corners, as we found out hooning around the Scottish Highlands.

MG has done an excellent job making the suspension firm enough to provide good handling but still soft enough to be comfortable for longer journeys - despite the more prominent 20-inch wheels of our GT test car.

As the name suggests, GT means it's a grand tourer - designed for racking up the miles - and after the test drive, during which we covered around 114 miles, we still felt energised.

The MG puts a smile on your face around bends, with hardly any body roll around fast corners. This is thanks to plenty of grip from the Pirelli P-Zero tyres, sharp handling and accurate steering, although the latter lacks the feedback you’d get in a Porsche 718 Boxster.

However, if you've been driving sports cars for years, you’ll know that weight is a killer.

MG's engineers at Longbridge – the well-known plant at the south edge of Birmingham - put the Cyberster through an 18-month handling programme – and have worked wonders. But there's no escaping from the fact that it’s twice the weight of a Mazda MX-5 and half a tonne more than a 718 Boxster. This is largely due to the MG's battery pack, which means it can't match the liveliness of its foes.

So, while the Cyberster will tick the handling box for the majority, those who take driving seriously, consider themselves sports car connoisseurs, or aim to tune cars to get the fastest lap times on track days, will disagree.
 

As a sports car, space and practicality aren't likely to be its strong points - there are only two seats, for starters. Mind you, there's plenty of room for such a small car, so even taller drivers won't be short on legroom or headroom.

The amount of adjustability in the seats is impressive, made easier by the electronic control and memory functions. Indeed, the seats are very comfortable and suitable for longer journeys, while the driving position is relatively low, although not as low-slung as in some sports car competitors.

The boot space isn't class-leading, but at 249 litres, it's around twice as much as in the MX-5 or Boxster, although the cheaper BMW Z4 boasts 281 litres.
 

The MG Cyberster gets a 74.4kWh battery pack, with a claimed range of 276 miles in the GT model. The Trophy model isn’t as power-hungry with its single motor, so it has a longer range at 316 miles.

The maximum charging speed is 144kW, which means a 10 to 80% charge takes 38 minutes. Meanwhile a 10 to 100% charge using an efficient home 7.4kW wall box, like Go Zero Charge’s Optimus Smart EV charger,  will take around ten and a half hours.

While the outright cost of the car is expensive, given it’s significantly more than the Mazda MX-5, around 20% more than a BMW Z4 and on a par with a Porsche 718 Boxster, you’re also paying a premium given it’s an electric car. However, being an electric car means that running costs will be cheaper - especially if you charge at home.

Servicing is every 15,000 miles or every year - whichever comes first - and, for now, the road tax is free. However, from April 2025, expect to fork out around £190 a year.

His Majesty's Revenue and Customs will also treat you well when it comes to Benefit In Kind tax, making the Cyberster a tempting company car. Its electrification and zero emissions put it in the bottom tax band.

MG has an up-and-down reputation for reliability but offers a seven-year warranty of up to 80,000 miles.

Overall, the Cyberster is an excellent attempt by MG to build its first sports car in many years.

Using the psychological boost it got from the surprisingly brilliant MG4 EV, it’s taken this to heart in designing the Cyberster – and it’s worked wonders here, too.

Gorgeous looks, a wonderfully attractive interior and performance that can match some supercars provide great ingredients for a superb recipe.

The handling is also impressive if you take it in context with the car's excessive weight, and although the Cyberster isn't designed for practicality, it has one of the biggest boot capacities in its class.

A Porsche 718 Boxster and Alpine A110 are similarly priced, though, while the BMW Z4 is quite a bit cheaper.

Rivals and bulky mass aside, this is a truly excellent car – and one that demonstrates a bright future for sports cars in the electrified era.