Driven: MG Cyberster, the head-turning electric sports car that demands attention

We get behind the wheel of many different cars, but it’s rare to find one that turns heads and sparks curiosity across such a wide range of people.

Most sportscars get a thumbs-up or a smile and loud firespitting cars always turn heads but when I got behind the wheel of the silent electric MG Cyberster, I wasn’t prepared for the way people reacted.

No matter where I stopped, there were always people asking more about the car, and the single biggest reason was simply the way it looks and the striking colour.

Exterior

The Cyberster is no wallflower, with its scissor doors and soft top it shouts “look at me” at the top of its voice. It’s like a sportscar a child would draw if asked what their ideal car would look like. 

With its stretched bonnet and low slung stance, “K-tail” designed rear end to reduce drag, sleek Storm Eye LED lights, 20-inch machine-faceted alloys and Union Jack tail lights in a nod to its British heritage, the Cyberster would not look out of place at an exclusive sportscar gathering with Italian and German metal costing a few million rand more.

There’s 249-litres of boot space which is enough for a couple of overnight bags and will cart a golf bag to your favourite course.

What was also interesting is that most people know MG with its rich heritage but were surprised to hear that it is now a fully owned Chinese brand under the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation.

Interior

As befits a cool sportscar, inside the Cyberster has a definite premium feel about it with alluring textures and colours and every feature you can imagine.

There’s a curved glass dashboard with a digital instrument panel, central infotainment system and on the far right another digital screen.

Because it’s a two seater and there’s not a lot of space, I found my hands and the stalks on the steering column sometimes obscuring the display.

The digital interface takes some time to get used to and it’s not particularly user friendly.

I’m 1.87-meters tall and I was comfortable enough with the electric seat fully extended to the back but it could become a little cramped for taller people.

Power and drivetrain

The Cyberster is fitted with dual electric motors providing 375kW to the front and 250kW to the rear and a total of 725Nm (250Nm front, 475Nm rear).

They are powered by a 77kWh Lithium-ion battery and a claimed WLTP range of 443 kilometers but in real world surroundings it’s closer to 400 kilometres.

Press the Super Sport button on the steering wheel to get the maximum out of the sportster and launch control, and it’s likely to come down significantly.

The other modes are Comfort, Sport and Custom.

In Super Sport Mode there’s an electronic, I suppose, sporty sound piped into the cabin which I found rather eerie.

It will get from 0-100km/h in a very quick 3.2 seconds and because the motors have one gear, will top out at 208km/h.

Driving

Like the exterior, there’s nothing boring about driving the Cyberster.

Unlock it with the key fob and the scissor door opens dramatically but like most low-slung cars entry and exit, especially if you’re on the tall side, can be somewhat ungainly.

Once you’re in though, the seats wrap around you comfortably and the steering wheel fits perfectly into your hands.

Like all EV’s it’s silent and power is delivered instantaneously and smoothly.

Thanks to the low centre of gravity and all wheel drive the Cyberster revels in the twisties.

It’s easy to jump on the brakes, turn and power out without worrying about the rear end coming round. 

It feels stable when pushed hard despite not having a solid roof, and the seals on the electric soft-top do a good job of keeping out most of the wind noise.

The Cyberster isn’t a huge fan of bumpy roads though, producing a typically hard sprung sportscar drive.

You also have to be careful with speedbumps and angled driveways, but that’s to be expected and takes nothing away from the joy of the driving and handling experience.

As with many Chinese cars, oversensitive driver-assistance features tend to become distracting and irritating and once you’ve figured out behind which menu they lie and disable them, they default to the original setting once the car has been switched off.

Verdict

The R1 399 900 MG Cyberster is very much aimed at a niche market, but its stunning styling, fantastic performance, electrifying handling and heritage make it a bargain compared to other sportscars which do, however, come with glorious exhaust sounds.

Now, doesn’t MG have a turbo-charged V6 lying around somewhere?