The MG Cyberster is nearing its Australian market debut, and the brand is hoping it'll attract new sports car fans while enticing classic enthusiasts to return to the fold.
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As MG's new halo performance car, the Cyberster brings with it a wave of expectation. It's the brand's first all-electric sports car and its first new sports car since it came under Chinese ownership in 2005.
Pricing and full specifications will be announced closer to launch, but it'll cost somewhere between $100,000 and $130,000 when it arrives. That would make the Cyberster the most expensive vehicle the brand has offered under Chinese ownership by a considerable margin.
MG chief commercial officer Giles Belcher believes the Cyberster is "very different" to anything else MG offers and "will absolutely bring new people to the brand" when it arrives here in the second half of 2024.
But Mr Belcher says the Cyberster should also ignite interest among classic MG fans, while it's already attracting interest in Australian dealerships.
"It will probably bring some of the older MG original owners back to the brand, people who've got cars like the MGB in their garages, which will be nice," he said.
"We've got deposits from customers already. It's early days obviously and we don't have pricing yet, but we've certainly had some positive feedback."
MG's sports car heritage dates back to the original company's inception in 1924. There have been multiple standouts over its long history, like the MG Midget and MGB that debuted in the early 1960s, as well as the MG F which debuted in 1995 as the brand's first all-new car in more than 30 years.
Like those sporty rear-wheel drive offerings, the Cyberster's Chinese-market range offers a rear-wheel drive version.
This features a single electric motor producing 231kW of power and 475Nm of torque, giving it a 0-100km/h time of 4.9 seconds.
But MG hasn't confirmed this powertrain for our market, with local-spec models to instead feature a dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain with 375kW of power and a 0-100km/h time of 3.2 seconds.
They'll be powered by a 77kWh battery with a claimed WLTP range of 444km.
In addition to tapping into its sports car heritage, MG says the Cyberster also heralds a higher standard of technology and design that will start to be seen across the brand's new releases.
"From a product point of view, the technology that this car has is a big step up from what we have been selling so far, so it definitely shows what's coming ahead in the next six to 12 months," he said.
"The advanced technology infotainment systems, the quality of the interior and exterior, all the upcoming cars will be a big step up."
Mr Belcher told CarExpert the Cyberster wasn't necessarily the start of a range of sports cars, but instead the start of a range of "very cool designs and superior technology" that fits into the brand's desire to offer a car for everyone.
"You look at the old MG 3 to the new one, you look at the [Cyberster], the MG HS that's coming soon, they're an incredible step up and that's probably where we're looking to take it," he said.
When asked about the identified appetite for powerful electric sports cars – with Tesla as a key competitor despite the uncertain production plan for its Roadster – Mr Belcher was confident about the Cyberster's chances.
Tesla's new Roadster was revealed in concept form in 2017, and still has yet to be put into production.
"It's a cool looking car. In most mature markets around the world, [the Cyberster] is going to stand out, so I wouldn't be too scared about it," Mr Belcher said.
The Cyberster measures 4535mm long, 1913mm wide and 1329mm tall on a 2690mm wheelbase – quite a bit larger than past MG roadsters and even the current Porsche 718 Boxster.
The model is also quite heavy for a roadster, weighing between 1850kg and 1985kg – 700kg heavier than a base spec Mazda MX-5, largely due to that big battery pack.
Customers are now able to put in expressions of interest for the Cyberster ahead of its arrival.
MORE: Everything MG Cyberster
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
