• MG’s new Cyberster electric roadster will compete with the upcoming electric Porsche Boxster in the sports car market.
• The Cyberster will feature a sloping nose, scissor doors, and a freestanding digital instrument display, with a range of approximately 300 miles and the ability to accelerate to 62mph in under 4 seconds.

Few months ago , we’ve been given clues about MG’s upcoming electric roadster via leaks, but today the lid is off: this is the Cyberster. The Cyberster, which has a history that includes the MG A, MG B, and most recently the MG F, will rocket MG back into the convertible sports car market under Chinese owners SAIC.

These fresh images give us our first official look at the new model, which appears to be a severely toned down – but still pretty attractive – rendition of the Cyberster Roadster concept, which debuted at the 2021 Shanghai auto show. Key design elements from the demonstration car, like as the sloping nose, rear Kamm-tail, and scissor doors, have been carried over to the production model, which will compete with the impending electric Porsche Boxster.

The Cyberster has a larger footprint than the current 718 Boxster, according to patent filings, and that sinewy skin conceals considerable performance promise beneath. The single-motor Cyberster will produce 309bhp, while the four-wheel drive dual-motor version will produce 536bhp – a value equivalent to ICE roadsters in the class above.

Unfortunately, the MG will be roughly the same weight as larger petrol-powered convertibles, with the dual-motor version projected to weigh 1985kg – almost the same as a Mercedes-AMG SL55. Even the two-wheel-drive Cyberster will weigh in at 1850kg. There’s no information on performance or range, but the Cyberster should be able to sprint to 62mph in under 4 seconds and have a range of roughly 300 miles.

The doors lift upwards to reveal the Cyberster’s cabin, which surrounds the driver with a high centre console and an angled dashboard. Previous leaks have suggested that a yoke-style steering wheel will be offered as an option, but the car in these photographs has a traditional wheel situated in front of a freestanding digital instrument display. Touch interfaces, rather than physical switchgear, will be strongly featured throughout.

The Cyberster will be one of the first electric roadsters to hit the market in Europe next year, as manufacturers try to figure out how to solve the EV sports car conundrum. Models such as the Cyberster, Boxster EV, and electric Alpine A110 successor will rely significantly on more complex chassis electronics and augmentation to offer a sense of connection, and we hope that this early era of testing yields some fascinating outcomes.