MG has started accepting orders for the Cyberster in the United Kingdom. The electric roadster comes in two flavors called the Trophy and GT, and steps on the toes of the Porsche 718 Boxster in terms of pricing and performance.
For the base Cyberster Trophy, MG is asking at least £54,995 ($68,706). The model comes with an electric motor that drives the rear wheels and generates 335 hp (340 ps/250 kW) and 350 pound-foot (475 Nm) of torque, enabling 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 kph) in five seconds flat. Porsche's 718 Boxster starts at £53,800 ($67,213), has a 296 hp (300 ps/221 kW) motor, and is one-tenth slower.
Ordering the Cyberster GT means having to part ways with a minimum of £59,995 ($74,953). This version sports a dual-motor setup with all-wheel drive, putting 503 hp (510 ps/375 kW) and 535 lb-ft (725 Nm) of torque under the driver’s right foot. The 0-62 mph acceleration takes 3.2 seconds, 1.3 seconds faster than the 394 hp (400 ps/294 kW) 718 Boxster GTS, which starts at £75,300 ($94,074).
Both versions of the electric roadster feature a 77 kWh battery pack that enables a driving range of 316 miles (509 km) for the Trophy and 276 miles (444 km) for the GT on the WLTP cycle. The model supports DC charging up to 150 kW, meaning that a 10 to 80 percent recharge takes 38 minutes.
Photo: MG
Those holding the wheel can select between four driving modes, the Comfort, Custom, Sport, and Track, each one adjusting various parameters of the car accordingly. As for the fabric roof, it can be closed or opened in 15 seconds at speeds of up to 30 mph (48 kph).
Other highlights comprise the Brembo brakes with a three-mode regenerative braking that maximizes the energy efficiency and improves the driving range, 19-inch wheels for the Trophy and 20-inch for the GT wrapped in Pirelli P Zero tires, and a suite of safety gear. This list is rather long and includes the traffic jam assist, adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, lane keep assist, lane change assist, automatic emergency braking, etc.
MG has also fitted the Cyberster with twin scissor doors for a more exotic look. The British roadster sports three displays in the cockpit, a 10.25-inch driver display flanked by two 7-inch units. The fourth screen allows users to access the HVAC system, which is a dual-zone climate control. The model also gets smartphone integration, DAB radio, voice recognition, Bose audio with eight speakers, ambient lighting, and so on. The trunk has an 8.8 cu-ft (249-liter) capacity.
The automaker offers the Cyberster in its local market with a comprehensive warranty of seven years or 80,000 miles (128,748 km), whichever comes first.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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