MG is coming back to its roots with an electric sports car, but unfortunately, it won’t be available in the U.S.
The MG Cyberster made its debut at the 2023 Shanghai Auto Show. It’s a two-seat convertible and resembles the sports cars that made the British brand famous during its golden ages from the 1940s to the 1960s. However, what sets it apart is its electric powertrain, as well as its scissor doors that are usually found in more expensive supercars.
2024 MG Cyberster
As of now, the Cyberster is scheduled to launch in China and Europe by 2024. The MG brand has been under the ownership of China’s largest carmaker, state-run SAIC, for over fifteen years. In the current trade climate, it is unlikely that a state-owned carmaker like SAIC would be among the first Chinese automakers, if ever, to release their vehicles in the U.S.
These markets will have access to a single-motor rear-wheel drive version with around 309 hp and a dual-motor all-wheel drive version with about 536 hp. The base single-motor model will weigh 4,078 pounds, while the dual-motor model will weigh 4,376 pounds, far heavier than Tesla’s original Roadster.
2024 MG Cyberster
MG has been offering EVs in different body styles for several years now. The electric roadster, which has been in development since 2018 or earlier, is partly inspired by the Mazda MX-5 Miata and likely the MGB, one of MG’s legendary sports cars back in the day. However, the Cyberster’s hefty weight would make it a different animal than the lightweight sports cars mentioned earlier.
The Cyberster is just one of the small electric convertibles that won’t be available in the U.S. The Mini Cooper SE Convertible is a limited-production vehicle already available in Europe. Volkswagen, on the other hand, has also considered an electric convertible and presented some renderings in 2021. However, those renderings were based on the VW ID.3 hatchback, which isn’t sold in the U.S., casting doubt on the possibility of a production version in the country.
