MG Motor India is keen on bringing the Cyberster electric sportscar to India. The brand is all set to announce its future plans at an event in Mumbai on March 20, where it will also showcase future models, including the Cyberster. The launch of the electric sportscar however, is still sometime away, as MG is currently mulling over the benefits and possibility of a new flagship brand a-la Toyota – Lexus, or even a premium retail channel akin to Maruti Suzuki’ Arena – Nexa dealerships. The Cyberster would thus be used to introduce this new flagship brand or network.
The need for an identity separate from MG stems from the fact that with the investment from JSW, MG owners SAIC plans to be an end to end player in the Indian market in the electric vehicle space and is readying a large portfolio of vehicles ranging from an entry-level Comet priced sub Rs 10 lakh to over Rs 50-60 lakh price point performance and luxury cars.
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We first reported about this in the March 2024 issue of Autocar India magazine.
The newly formed MG JSW alliance may be able to participate in the Government of India’s new electric vehicle policy that allows new investors who commit over $500 million in the EV space to import a limited amount of cars at a reduced customs duty rate. This would pave the wave for premium models like the Cyberster among others.
MG Cyberster: what is it?
The Cyberster debuted at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed, and was previously showcased as a concept in 2021. It’s the brand’s first sportscar in years and also its first electric sportscar. The Cyberster is based on a born-electric platform and measures 4,533mm in length, 1,912mm in width and 1,328mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,689mm.
MG Cyberster powertrain, specs, range
The Cyberster gets a 77kWh battery pack that powers two electric motors – one on each axle – sending drive to all four wheels. It produces 535hp and 725Nm of peak torque, and has a claimed 0-100kph sprint time of 3.2 seconds. MG claims a maximum range of 580km on a single charge (CLTC cycle).
There’s also an entry-level, single-motor RWD version that produces 308hp and has a claimed range of 520km from a smaller 64kWh battery pack. Weight varies depending on the spec, with the single-motor variant tipping the scales at 1,850kg, while the dual-motor AWD variant weighs 1,985kg.
MG Cyberster exterior design
The open-top two-door sportscar has classic proportions and a sleek new design language that’s reminiscent of MG’s historic sporting heritage. Up front, it has a swooping nose with sweptback headlamps and a heavily contoured bumper with several prominent air intakes. The petal-like alloy wheels, fabric soft-top and scissor doors are details that add to the drama.
The side profile features very smooth surfacing, pronounced rear haunches and side skirts, and the door handles are uniquely placed on the accent line that starts from the A-pillar and extend to the rear. At the rear, there are arrow-shaped tail-lights, a rectangular light bar spread across its entire width and an aggressive split diffuser.
MG Cyberster interior and features
The Cyberster’s interior features a flat-bottomed steering with several buttons and three digital screens for infotainment and driving data that wrap around the driver. The centre console features yet another screen and a few physical buttons for the roof mechanism, drive selector and HVAC controls. The centre console has a waterfall effect and a grab handle that separates the driver and passenger sides. The plush fascia and instrumentation take influence from contemporary gaming trends.
The Cyberster is set to go on sale in international markets by mid-2024 and it’s touted to be an “affordable” sportscar with a likely starting price of around £50,000 (Rs 53 lakh approx.), which is quite reasonable even by Indian standards.
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