Week behind the wheel: MG Cyberster
Electric two-seater sports cars are in short supply, so John Challen didn’t pass up the opportunity of putting one through its paces.
Monday
“Is that a Lamborghini?” is not the first question I expected to be asked just after I took delivery of the MG Cyberster. I’m not sure if it was the bright sunshine, the car’s silhouette or those scissor doors that made the youngster enquire, but he was certainly impressed. He’s got a point – in a world that is largely dominated by SUVs, a bright two-door convertible is a relatively rare sight on the roads these days and, at a glance, the MG could easily be confused with a supercar.
Tuesday
Spending more time inside the Cyberster revealed a few frustrations that I’d heard elsewhere. From the driver’s seat, the left- and right-hand screens of the three that are offered (four if you include a small one by the gear selector) in the car are obscured by the steering wheel. This issue could’ve been partially fixed by switching the air vent and the left-hand screen around but the designers clearly had the final say, which is a shame.
Wednesday
As well as looking the part, the Cyberster has some pretty impressive performance to match. The range-topping GT has a bigger battery than the base model (77kWh versus 64kWh) and more power – 496hp compared with 310hp (the mid-range Trophy grade has 335hp). That power translates to a zero to 62mph sprint in just 3.2 seconds in the GT, compared with 5.0 or 5.4 for the other models.
Thursday
While the Cyberster isn’t tiny, it’s not the biggest two-seat convertible, either (length is 4,535mm; width, excluding mirrors, is 1,913mm. The result is a limit on storage space, the largest area being the boost, the capacity of which is 249 litres. There is a convenient space behind the seats – enough for a laptop or small bag but, like any budget airline these days, storage space is definitely at a premium.
Friday
There are some neat design touches on and around Cyberster, such as the bonnet lines, the prominent MG badges front and rear, and also the arrowed rear lights. The convertible is quite a departure from the rest of the current MG range – EV or ICE – which is possibly why the car gets so much attention. From a marketing/heritage point of view, the mix of modern and classic design is very clever because the Cyberster harks back to not only the MGF, but also the likes of the MGB and others from that era.
Saturday
It’s safe to say that the interior of the MG two-seater isn’t the most conventional and the layout and controls take a bit of getting used to. It’s partly a packaging issue, but there are – and I can’t believe I’m saying this – almost too many buttons! Quite a few of these are means to open the doors. I think I counted four or five different ways to trigger the scissored items, my preferred choice being the button mounted at the bottom of the door (which is actually above you when the door is open!)
Sunday
Our time with the Cyberster comes to an end with fond memories of a car that fills a gap in the market where there is currently little competition. While it’s not the perfect package, it comes close in most regards, not least the mix of performance, styling and the ability to stand out from the crowd. With the added bonus (if you like that sort of thing) of it being mistaken for a supercar!
John Challen
John previously edited International Fleet World magazine, and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role, having been in automotive journalism for more than 20 years. Over those two decades, he has researched and written about a vast range of automotive topics, including fleet, EVs, engineering, design, retail and the aftermarket.
