Here’s a surprise – alongside the MG5 and VS, SAIC Motor Malaysia has also previewed the MG Cyberster today. The electric roadster will be the brand’s third EV to be sold here after the MG4 and ZS EV, and it’s radically different from either of them.
Unlike with its other two models here, the company has provided nothing in terms of specs or pricing. However, it has previously confirmed it will be launched in the third quarter of the year, so we can expect it to arrive next month unless there’s been a delay.
A two-seat roadster, the Cyberster is thus a unique proposition amidst the burgeoning EV segment, its closest competitor being the petrol-powered Mazda MX-5 RF at RM277,000. But the MG is a far cry from that no-frills Japanese sports car, not when it weights a tonne more at over two tonnes.
That weight comes courtesy of the electric powertrain. The Cyberster is available in two variants, including the rear-wheel-drive version shown here that produces 340 PS (250 kW) and 475 Nm of torque. This enables the car to get from zero to 100 km/h in five seconds flat on its way to a top speed of 195 km/h.
Also available is an all-wheel-drive model that has 544 PS (400 kW) and an impressive 725 Nm at its disposal. So equipped, the Cyberster completes the century sprint in just 3.2 seconds, while its top speed is extended slightly to 201 km/h.
But the bit that contributes the most to the heft is the battery – a 77 kWh pack comes standard and delivers a WLTP-rated range of 509 km on the RWD model and 444 km with AWD. The car supports up to 144 kW of DC fast charging, topping up the battery from 10 to 80% in 38 minutes. There’s only a 7 kW on-board charger, however, so charging the battery from 10 to 100% using an AC wallbox takes a yawning 10.5 hours.
Taking inspiration from the MGB Roadster, the Cyberster certainly cuts an attractive figure, led by a shark nose front end with almond-shaped LED headlights and a split lower air intake. With little in the way of adornment along the sides, the eyes are drawn towards the sharp front fender line that sweeps into the doors, before being picked up the deliciously voluptuous rear haunches.
At the back, you’ll find probably the Cyberster’s second most obnoxious design cue – the Union Jack-inspired taillights that form a literal arrow in concert with the indicators. Of course, you won’t miss the actual most obnoxious feature – a pair of scissor doors that give the car some Lamborghini-style visual drama. The car you see here rides on the largest available 20-inch “Jetstream” seven-spoke alloy wheels, although intricate 19-inch “Lightning” rollers are also available.
Step inside and you’ll find a cockpit-like cabin that wraps around the driver, available in either black-and red or grey-and-white colour schemes. Both occupants sit on plush sports seats with six-way power adjustment, memory and Nappa leather and Alcantara upholstery, facing a sporty flat-bottomed steering wheel with paddles for selecting the drive modes and regenerative braking strength.
But the highlight is the bank of screens, consisting of a 10.25-inch digital instrument display that is flanked by two more seven-inch touchscreens for controlling the infotainment and vehicular functions. Another seven-inch touchscreen housing the dual-zone climate controls sits on the centre console. Other features include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and an eight-speaker Bose sound system.
The Cyberster is also available with a full range of driver assistance features, including autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane centring assist, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert with auto brake, rear collision warning and a door opening warning.
All that’s left is pricing, but as mentioned earlier, we have no idea how much the Cyberster will cost. In Thailand, however, the sole AWD variant retails at 2,499,000 baht (RM318,500), and our EV tax exemptions should mean it’ll be slightly cheaper here. Could we then see the RWD model costing well under RM300,000?
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