MG Motor Australia hosted a luxurious dinner in Sydney on October 16, where the head of SAIC Advanced Design London, Carl Gotham presented the new Cyberster roadster to more than 50 guests.
Karl Stefanovic presided over the evening as master of ceremonies, and guests were treated to champagne and caviar whilst being serenaded by a string quartet within the Carriageworks event centre.
Distinguished by its scissor doors, the Cyberster will retail from $115,000 plus on-road costs when it reaches Australian showrooms.
At 4.5 metres long and nearly 2 metres wide, the Cyberster bucks the historical trend of MG Roadsters being small and lightweight.
However, Carl Gotham says the new MG Halo model must hold its ground in the current era of big SUVs and larger pickups.
He heads a team of 20 people at SAIC Design Advanced London in Marylebone, which started work on the Cyberster project during the global pandemic. The engineering teams in Shanghai made the car production-ready, with the Brits submitting the required detailing.
“There were lots of iterations and smaller proposals when we started the design process, but I think we’ve got it absolutely right: cars are big, traffic is tall, and the Cyberster needs to have a presence on global roads so that the occupants feel secure,” Gotham says.
He says the proportions of the Cyberster belie its size.
“When you drive it, you will feel that it belongs in a class above; it’s a more accessible version of a sports car,” Gotham says.
“MG is a British brand with an inherent DNA, and it’s important that a car such as the Cyberster masters that design authenticity in a modern world,” he says.
MG has a significant design back catalogue, and Gotham says he admires vehicles such as the 1936 TA Airline Coupe, the 1955 MGA, and the 1962 MGB.
The Cyberster will offer five different colour options: English White Standard, Sterling Silver Metallic, Camden Grey Metallic, Diamond Red Metallic, and Royal Yellow Premium, as well as two hood options in Black and Red.
According to MG Motor, the Cyberster will sprint from a standstill to 100km/h in 3.2 seconds while offering a driving range of up to 443km (WLTP). The traction battery can recharge from 10% to 80% in 40 minutes using a 150kW CCS public charger.
A 77-kWh battery set between the axles features an electric motor at each end for all-wheel drive.
MG Motor says there were crucial benefits in using scissor doors for the Cyberster instead of conventionally opening doors.
These were designed to improve driver and passenger access to the cabin because the Cyberster has wide sills and wheel arches that would otherwise obstruct entry and egress. The scissor doors are electric and can be controlled by the vehicle’s key, a button on the door, or from within the cabin.
A triple-screen setup for the driver features touchscreens on either side. The central 10.25-inch screen shows essential data such as speed, range, and navigation info, while images relayed from the car’s cameras appear on the right-hand screen.
The two outer screens measure seven inches and are touch-sensitive, but some functions are replicated on the multifunction steering wheel, where extra buttons cycle through different menus. The Cyberster also has Apple Car Play, Android Auto and an eight-speaker Bose audio system.
“MG Cyberster marks an evolution for our brand, merging the legacy of MG Roadsters with a forward-thinking vision. Its design and performance set a standard, making it one of the most advanced vehicles MG has yet unveiled,” MG Motor Australia and New Zealand chief executive Peter Ciao says.
“The Cyberster presents uncompromising levels of power and performance while continuing our development as a leader in the electric vehicle space.”
