2024 MG Cyberster EV previewed in Malaysia – 2-seater convertible, up to 544 PS, 509 km range, scissor doors

Here’s a surprise – besides MG5 And High schoolSAIC Motor Malaysia also previewed MG Cyberster today. The convertible electric car will be the brand’s third EV to go on sale here after MG4 And ZS Electric Carand it is completely different from both.

Unlike the other two models here, the company hasn’t provided any specs or pricing. However, the company has previously confirmed a Q3 launch this year, so we can expect it to launch next month unless there’s a delay.

As a two-seater convertible, the Cyberster is a unique proposition in the growing electric vehicle segment, its closest competitors being petrol-powered cars. Mazda MX-5 RF In RM277,000. But the MG is far from that humble Japanese sports car, not when it weighs one more ton at more than two tons.

That weight comes from the electric powertrain. The Cyberster comes in two versions, including the rear-wheel-drive version shown here, which produces 340 PS (250 kW) and 475 Nm of torque. This allows the car to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in five seconds and reach a top speed of 195 km/h.

There’s also an all-wheel drive model with 544 PS (400 kW) and an impressive 725 Nm of torque. Equipped like this, the Cyberster completes the 0-100 km sprint in just 3.2 seconds, while the top speed is slightly increased to 201 km/h.

But the biggest contributor to the heft is the battery – a 77 kWh pack is standard, providing a WLTP-rated range of 509 km on the RWD model and 444 km with AWD. The car supports DC fast charging at up to 144 kW, which can charge the battery from 10 to 80% in 38 minutes. However, there’s only a 7 kW charger on board, so charging the battery from 10 to 100% using an AC wall box takes up to 10.5 hours.

Inspired by the MGB Roadster, the Cyberster certainly has an attractive silhouette, led by a shark-nose front end with almond-shaped LED headlights and a lower air intake. With little ornamentation along the sides, the eye is drawn to the sharp front fender line that sweeps into the doors, before being greeted by the attractively curvaceous rear haunches.

At the rear, you’ll find the Cyberster’s second most unsettling design cue – Union Jack-inspired taillights that literally form an arrow, along with turn signals. Of course, you won’t miss the most unsettling feature – a pair of scissor doors that give the car some Lamborghini-esque flair. The car you see here rides on the largest 20-inch seven-spoke ‘Jetstream’ alloy wheels available, although intricate 19-inch ‘Lightning’ rollers are also available.

Step inside and you’ll find a cockpit-like cabin that wraps around the driver, available in black and red or grey and white. Both occupants sit in plush sports seats with six-way power adjustment, memory and Nappa leather and Alcantara upholstery, facing a sporty flat-bottomed steering wheel with paddles for driving modes and regenerative braking.

But the highlight is the array of screens, including a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster display surrounded by two more seven-inch touchscreens to control infotainment and vehicle functions. Another seven-inch touchscreen houses dual-zone climate control buttons on the center console. Other features include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and an eight-speaker Bose sound system.

The Cyberster also comes fully equipped with driver assistance features, including automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane keeping assist, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert with automatic braking, rear collision warning and open door warning.

The only remaining issue is price, but as mentioned earlier, we don’t know how much the Cyberster will cost. In ThailandHowever, the sole AWD version retails for 2,499,000 baht (RM318,500), and our EV tax exemption means prices will be a little cheaper here, so could we see the RWD model priced below RM300,000?

PHOTO GALLERY: MG Cyberster in Malaysia

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