Test Drive Report MG Cyberster: Open the Door Wide!
When SAIC Motor considered how to celebrate the 100th anniversary of MG, the suggestion from Europe was immediate: build a perhaps electric roadster – as a halo car and brand core, even if it wouldn’t become a major hit in terms of sales numbers. So, work began, and in the London studio, so to speak in the secret service of their late Majesty, a few sketches were drawn and a 1:1 prototype was built, which was eventually presented at the Shanghai fair. The response was overwhelming, and the Cyberster went into production! As the first mass-produced electric roadster, it makes history. Since specific door mechanisms are loved in China, the production model of the Cyberster keeps the upward-opening scissor doors.
Drive electrically open "south" of the 100,000 Euro mark? Here it works!
We press the button, and the Cyberster “opens the door wide." It may not make the way wide, but it expands the convertible spectrum, because: How rare have new open cars become this side of supercars and the 100,000 Euro barrier? A longer tutorial by the guide follows, explaining the various menus and submenus to scroll and tap through, leading us to a slight panic about actually getting the car moving. But then comes the redeeming sentence:
“But basically, it’s just a fun-to-drive car!”
We press the button for the door, wait until the portal is latched again, and activate the switch next to it to retract the roof – depending on the measurement, in 11 to 13 seconds. Finally, we press the “D” button – or is it a switch? Whatever, the main thing is we can drive!
And how! In Comfort mode, the Cyberster X-Power, with its 510 hp and 725 Newton meters, remains comparatively tame and almost a bit sluggish. In “Sport,” it acts much more dynamically and masks its nearly two-ton weight significantly better. With the catapult start, it sprints in 3.2 seconds to 100 km/h. Of course, we tried that, and yessss – it feels like a roller coaster!
Sure, with the 77-kWh battery, it can’t be lightweight: The base weighs 1,960 kilograms, the X-Power an additional 100 kilograms – just about okay. Not okay is the payload of only 150 kilograms. But back to the roller coaster feeling: Like one, it stays stoically on track. The double-wishbone front axle and the five-link rear axle, together with the firm steering and suspension, do a good job. MG has, in our opinion, found exactly the sweet spot between firm and comfortable and consciously doesn’t want to compete with a Porsche 718 or BMW Z4. Instead, MG continues the tradition of British GT models – open-top Jaguar and Aston Martin, which offered much longitudinal but not too dramatic lateral dynamics, but always a hint of residual comfort. MG has done this very well.
So we carve uphill as fast as possible – without a roof, it feels even faster. The locals impress with amazing speed in their compact cars. We fly over the 963-meter-high Col de Vence and ascend to the 1,439-meter-high Col de Bleine – without having to struggle through the depths of the digital menu so far.
In “Sport” mode, driving is more fun due to the more direct response of the electric motors. Yet they always respond gently and never digitally-electronically knock you off balance. It feels as if the electric motors have to “build up torque” before the Cyberster unleashes its forces. The sound matches this: In the “combustion mode,” it indeed reminds of the old 95-hp B-Series engine in the MGB, including subtle gearbox whine. Cool for fans, less so for others. The E-sound, however, isn’t very convincing either.
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So we stop and venture into the menu, which, on the fiddly 7-inch screen, offers many setting options. In addition to sound and driving programs, there are "Seats" – but only the lumbar support. MG has packed seat and steering wheel heating into the climate menu. There are sound settings (a bit flat and front-heavy), interior colors, navigation, and much more – most of which we wouldn't need at all. MG could do some tidying up here during a facelift, as well as in the displays. The 10.25-inch central screen and the two 7-inch screens are not the ultimate wisdom, especially since the navigation is on the left because the first models were right-hand drive. If MG tidies up, they could also fix translation errors. When the roof is not fully closed, the Cyberster reports: "Roof movement incomplete." And "Long press hide" is probably meant to be "press and hold." Additionally, we discovered a service interval of 30,000 kilometers in the menu. Wireless phone pairing? No chance.
The language comprehension is surprisingly good: You can set the temperature by specifying degrees, and the MG adjusts accordingly. But abstract commands like "I'm cold" or "I'm hungry" are not understood. The navigation immediately corrects wrong turns and provides clear instructions, but there is no charging planning. One also searches in vain for quick access to deactivate the most annoying driving assistants.
Conclusion: China now masters body construction, quality, and chassis – infotainment not so much. However, you don't necessarily need that here. More important would be seats with longer thigh supports and less off-gassing materials. All of this is criticism at a high level. We much prefer to enjoy the descent into the valley, where consumption drops again. Before, it was nailed down at 29.8 kWh/100 km – perhaps because MG doesn't want to show more? In the end, we landed at 26.2 kWh net, so around 28.8 kWh gross. After 105 kilometers, the range indicator still showed 214 kilometers remaining. Our predecessors achieved an average of 24.8 kWh/100 km net – not economical, but with this birthday gift, it was all about driving fun.
What does that mean?
The Cyberster scores where it counts: looks, punch, and chassis. The rest is secondary in the world's first E-Roadster. Let's celebrate the occasions as they come – and finally be much more open again!
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