We spend a memorable week with the MG Cyberster – the one all-electric roadster on the UK market…
If automobiles have been chosen purely for kerb attraction, then MG is onto a winner with the beautiful Cyberster.
I used to be loaned a Cyberster for every week and I can’t keep in mind the final time a check automobile garnered so many compliments and questions.
Whether or not it’s a thumbs up from fellow drivers, or folks coming as much as me to say how cool it appears, or just to ask “what’s it?”.
As issues stand the Cyberster is fairly distinctive. Sure, Tesla is supposedly planning to launch a brand new Roadster quickly, however for the second, the MG is the one soft-top EV accessible.
It’s a giant deal for the model too (now Chinese language-owned), as a result of it’s MG’s first new two-seater for the reason that Nineteen Nineties.
Designed in London on the MG Superior Design Centre, the Cyberster is a contemporary tackle a sports activities automobile, but with nods to MG’s wealthy historical past. So, there’s an extended bonnet, low nostril, sweeping curves and pert rear.
The truth is, it’s fascinating from each angle, with hints of McLaren, Aston Martin, Jaguar and Maserati.
And that’s earlier than you open the doorways, as a result of they’re scissor doorways – paying homage to a Lamborghini.
Barely greater than a BMW Z4, the Cyberster is an actual assertion of a automobile with an aggressive stance, but it additionally manages to exude class.
Priced from £54,995 to £59,995, the Cyberster is accessible in two trim ranges – Trophy and GT.
The only motor Trophy is powered by a 335bhp/350lb ft motor driving the rear wheels. The 0-62mph dash takes simply 5 seconds and it tops out at 121mph.
Nonetheless, the topic of this week’s evaluate is the all-wheel-drive GT flagship – essentially the most highly effective manufacturing MG ever.
Energy and torque rocket to 496bhp and 535lb ft, whereas the 0-62mph time plummets to a supercar-equalling 3.2 seconds, and the highest pace is 125mph.
The draw back is that the claimed vary drops from 316 miles for the Trophy, to 276 miles for the GT, and kerb weight climbs 100kg to 1985kg.
Inside, first impressions are nice. There’s a driver-focused, wraparound triple-screen set-up for the motive force – a central 10.25-inch display flanked by two 7.0-inch touchscreens. A fourth display (local weather management) is situated within the decrease centre console subsequent to the gear selector.
Sadly, the steering wheel obscures components of the 2 outer screens, which is especially annoying on the left, which is the sat nav. Sadly, the screens are additionally too small and fiddly – nor are they intuitive to make use of or fast to reply.
The opposite drawback is that although the suite of security and driver help tech is admirable, the pings and bongs are massively irritating. The motive force distraction warning is the worst by far.
Whereas house is nice and the general match and end is elegant, there may be one large flaw within the design if you happen to’re 5′ 11″ or over like me.
Not like an everyday sports activities automobile, your bum isn’t as near the bottom as a result of there’s a battery between you and the street.
This in flip signifies that the driving place is excessive for taller drivers (even with the seat at its lowest setting).
The result’s that you simply’re peering down on the display, which is already obscured by the steering wheel, and your head is uncomfortably near the roof (or nearly above the windscreen with the roof down).
So, I’m unhappy to say, the mixture of the awkward driving place and unforgiving seat padding resulted in one of the uncomfortable weeks I’ve ever spent in a check automobile.
Earlier than I end with the cabin, it’s price mentioning that there’s a shelf behind the seats for small items of baggage, whereas the 249- litres boot is helpful. Simply in case you’re questioning, there isn’t a entrance boot (frunk) like some EVs, to retailer charging cables.
Oh, and the electrical scissor doorways are a slick piece of theatre, however in the end the novelty wears off, particularly if you wish to enter/exit rapidly.
Regardless of my criticism of the driving place for taller drivers, the MG Cyberster is spectacular on the street.
Extra old-school GT than agile MX-5, it delivers easy energy and the compliant suspension set-up means it cruises properly.
Although it weighs almost two tonnes, the Cyberster GT manages to remain flat in tougher corners, and grip ranges are robust.
The steering is responsive and properly weighted, whereas the Brembo brakes are efficient, however require a strong pump.
The Cyberster GT solely actually comes unstuck once you press on and the suspension begins to wrestle with the burden and top combo, pushing the automobile’s composure to the restrict.
You’ll be able to select between the varied drive modes – Consolation, Customized, Sport, Observe – which tweak the extent of steering help and throttle response.
As ever, Consolation provides the very best mix of energy and effectivity. Sport is enjoyable briefly bursts, however I discovered the journey is simply too agency on this mode.
Full marks to MG for including a Tremendous Sport button to the steering wheel (identical to a Porsche), which unleashes the automobile’s full efficiency, full with Launch Management.
The Cyberster’s 150kW most charging charge is an efficient, however not class-leading. It means you’ll want round 38 minutes to take the 77kWh battery from a 10-80% cost. Naturally, it’s going to additionally cost in a single day by way of a 7kW wallbox.
One of the best effectivity ranking I managed throughout my week with the Cyberster GT was 2.9 miles per kWh, nevertheless it was principally nearer to 2.6 miles/kWh which isn’t nice and possibly interprets right into a real-world vary nearer to 200 miles, relying on driving fashion and circumstances.
If you wish to squeeze out extra miles, you can even alter the quantity of brake regen by clicking the left-hand steering wheel paddle, plus there’s a one-pedal mode.
So, in the end the MG Cyberster GT doesn’t fairly reside as much as its beautiful appears, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a daring stab at an electrical roadster, and if you happen to’re medium top, it may very well be for you. Simply be sure to go for a check drive.
Verdict: The beautiful MG Cyberster is an actual assertion of a sports activities automobile, with its curvaceous styling and dramatic scissor doorways. Whereas it’s not the dynamic driver’s automobile that some might have been hoping for, it’s quick, succesful and at present the one electrical two-seater roadster in the marketplace.
MG UK
