M-Genius? The MG Cyberster Is An Open Top Sportscar For A New Generation

Introducing the MG Cyberster. Purists will sniff at this Chinese-built two-seater, say motoring editor Jeremy Taylor and Jessica Talbot-Ponsonby. But who else builds a battery-powered roadster?

Road Test: MG Cyberster

JT-P – So, how many MGs did you own?

JT – Three. An MGB GT, registration MUD 100E, which was stolen; a leaky green roadster with mushrooms growing in the footwell; plus the almost-an-MG Metro – another moment when MG aficionados went nuts because the Austin Metro hatchback had very little to do with Morris Garages.

Which brings us neatly to new MG. The famous British brand was purchased by Nanjing Automobile Group in 2007, now SAIC, and currently makes a string of very popular, budget-friendly hatchbacks and family cars.

Indeed, nothing especially exciting… Apart from the Cyberster, which is a halo model to show off what the marque is capable of. MG purists who enjoy buffing chrome bumpers and fettling oil leaks on their classic MGBs and Midgets will hate it, but at least the brand is a survivor.

And there really aren’t any other mainstream electric convertibles, apart from the Fiat 500e, or the crazy-expensive Maserati GranCabrio. 

The Cyberster is relatively well-priced and comes in two flavours. The 335bhp Trophy starts at around £55,000, while our dual motor GT test car is £61,000, with all-wheel drive and 503bhp. That offers a Porsche-beating 0-62mph time of just 3.5 seconds.

I’m guessing that’s why we drove it to The Rocket Store in Boscastle then? 

Correct. The Cyberster is rocket-fast in a straight line. The Rocket Store is a tiny building on the walk to the harbour beach. It once housed the horse-drawn, rocket-firing equipment used by the coastguard to help save vessels in trouble. 

It’s essentially a large hut that’s been transformed into a seafood bar, serving whatever comes off the boat that day, or from the family farm just around the corner at Lesnewth. A fantastic find and well worth a detour if you find yourself cruising down the north Cornwall coast in search of an undiscovered gem.

And the Cyberster is the perfect grand tourer for such a day out. Range in the GT peaks at 276 miles and, while it’s not such a dynamic drive as a petrol-powered Porsche Boxster or BMW Z4, the MG is great fun. Especially true if you hit the big red ‘Super Sport’ button on the steering wheel, for an extra shove of EV power from a 77kWh battery.

We haven’t mentioned the electrically-operated scissor doors either. Quite a head-turning feature for a car at this price. The interior is also neat but doesn’t offer the same quality as a BMW or Audi. The infotainment system is also a bit underwhelming.

Yes, but hats off to MG. The brand is over 100 years old now and although not manufactured in this country, the Cyberster has plenty to admire.

Discover more about the MG Cyberster at mgcyberster.co.uk