British-style pure electric soft-top convertible sports car – MG Cyberster static experience

MG Cyberster - British-style pure electric soft-top convertible sports car static experience

【Phoneauto】In recent years, with the rapid development of vehicle electrification, more and more types of vehicles have joined the ranks of electric cars. Even relatively niche sports cars are no exception.

At the recent car show in Tianjin, I saw the MG Cyberster, a new convertible electric sports car under SAIC’s MG brand, which had already started pre-sales on September 26th. Although there are already many electric sports cars, a convertible electric sports car seems to be unique in my impression.

According to MG’s official explanation, the name Cyberster is composed of two parts. “Cyber” represents the era of electrification, and “ster” means a two-door convertible car. The combination of the two becomes this convertible electric sports car – MG Cyberster.

• SAIC Group’s September sales figures have been released, with a monthly sales volume of 482,000 vehicles, setting a new monthly sales record for this year
• Tesla’s wholesale sales in September exceeded 74,000 units, with a cumulative delivery of 700,000 units this year
• China Passenger Car Association’s latest prediction The penetration rate of new energy vehicles is expected to reach 36% this year

In terms of appearance, the MG Cyberster has a strong sense of sportiness. The muscular lines on the hood present a variety of streamlined light and shadow under the illumination of light. The large headlights on both sides adopt atomic design language, and the shape of the headlights is perfectly integrated with the front line of the car, maintaining coordination and also giving a strong sense of “aggressiveness”.

Unlike some current electric sports cars, the MG Cyberster does not adopt an integrated front face design. The impactful flat front end uses an aerodynamic air intake grille, which is somewhat similar to the intake grille on fuel cars. It is said to be evolved from the MGB’s direct waterfall-like intake grille.

I believe friends who are familiar with new energy electric vehicles know that compared to fuel cars, although models powered by pure electricity have strong acceleration capabilities, their requirements for working conditions are more stringent. The reason is that the electric motor cannot get sufficient heat dissipation after high-speed operation, so the system automatically reduces energy efficiency output. By using the aerodynamic air intake grille, it can provide sufficient heat dissipation efficiency for the oil cooling system of the electric motor. In addition, combined with the flow guide slots on both sides, it can greatly improve the aerodynamic performance of the MG Cyberster.

Coming to the side of the body, the MG Cyberster has a streamlined and low-slung body, and the body is not higher due to the battery. In terms of body size, the length, width, and height of the car are 4535/1913/1329mm, and the wheelbase is 2690mm. Therefore, although the Cyberster is a two-door, two-seat convertible sports car, its size is almost the same as that of a regular compact sedan, which is relatively large in the Roadster model, but it further enhances the streamlined shape of the car.

As the first soft-top convertible pure electric sports car in China, the electric soft-top is naturally the biggest highlight of this car. According to official data, when the speed of the MG Cyberster is within 50km/h, it can be opened and closed at any time, and the entire opening or closing process can be completed in about 10 seconds. As for those who are afraid that the soft top may not be well-sealed and may leak in the rain, there is no need to worry. In order to ensure the sealing of the convertible, MG has conducted 7 extreme working conditions, 3 dynamic scenarios, and 2730 times of door, window, and top interaction function tests.

As for the doors, the MG Cyberster adopts the eye-catching electric scissor door design, which is controlled by fully automatic intelligent motors. If there is no electricity in special situations, the owner can also open the door by using the physical button behind the seat. However, in this case, the door needs to be pushed up by oneself. But for a pure electric vehicle, I believe everyone should not let it run out of power.

Close-up of the BOSE sound system after the door is opened

In addition, the default opening and closing angle of the door is 61°, and MG stated that this is the best angle. The door is also equipped with dual radar active obstacle avoidance, which can detect obstacles above and on the side of the door, thereby preventing collisions when opening the door.

In terms of the door opening method, Cyberster did not adopt the traditional door handle design, but instead chose a round touch button. The merits of this design are subjective. In my opinion, the round button does not match well with the sleek sports car design of the MG Cyberster. If the designer could add some small design elements to this door opening button, it might be more interesting.

Tire close-up

As for the tires, the MG Cyberster uses 20-inch dual-color wheels paired with red brake calipers, adding a more dynamic atmosphere.

Arrow-shaped taillights

Moving to the rear of the car, it features a continuous LED taillight, and I believe everyone’s attention is immediately drawn to the controversial “water truck-style” taillights, which are highly recognizable. The taillights have an upward curved design at the top, and combined with the large diffuser at the bottom of the rear, it fully embodies the supercar and technological attributes.

Entering the interior of the vehicle, the design is clearly focused on the driver’s side. The MG Cyberster does not adopt the traditional dashboard and center screen design, but instead uses a cockpit-like layout similar to those seen in sci-fi movies.

Steering wheel and triple LCD instrument cluster

In front of the steering wheel is a surround-style triple LCD instrument cluster. The center console also leans towards the driver’s side, and the shift buttons are all mechanical. MG officially stated that the center panel is made of carbon fiber, and combined with the red Y-shaped sports seats, it enhances the sporty atmosphere of the interior.

Central control panel and mechanical shift buttons

Cup holder below the central control panel

It is worth mentioning that the Cyberster is also equipped with “paddle shifters” that have racing attributes, but their actual functions are kinetic energy recovery regulation and driving mode switching.

Left kinetic energy recovery adjustment paddle

Right sport mode adjustment paddle

The overall design of the steering wheel adopts a three-spoke flat-bottomed design, with NAPPA leather hand-stitched for the material, giving it a delicate feel. In addition to the physical buttons for regular operations, the red SUPER SPORT mode button at the bottom right of the steering wheel further enhances the supercar attributes of the vehicle.

Close-up of the steering wheel

In terms of power, since this is a static experience at the auto show, we are unable to conduct actual tests. According to the data on the MG official website, the MG Cyberster is equipped with a single-motor high-low power version and a dual-motor version. The single-motor version is equipped with a permanent magnet synchronous motor on the rear axle, with a maximum power of 231 kW for the low power version and 250 kW for the high power version. The dual-motor version has a permanent magnet synchronous motor on the front axle with a maximum power of 150 kW, and a permanent magnet synchronous motor on the rear axle with a maximum power of 250 kW. The battery capacity includes two options: 64 kWh and 77 kWh, corresponding to a range of 501 km, 520 km, and 580 km, respectively.

Overall, in the “overlapping” new energy vehicle market in China, it is admirable that MG is willing to spend years carefully crafting a pure electric convertible supercar. Moreover, the actual vehicle is stunning inside and out. Although there are some controversial design elements, it is impossible to avoid controversy in this network-connected society.

Currently, the car has officially started pre-sales on the 26th of last month, but the way it is being sold is quite unusual as the official price has not been disclosed. Therefore, at the car exhibition, I also asked the MG staff, who mentioned that the car will be officially released this month with a price of 350,000 yuan. However, since this is not the official price announcement, interested friends are advised to wait patiently. I will also be the first to test drive the car once it is available on the market, and bring you the latest dynamic evaluation, so please stay tuned.

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