The MG Cyberster was a concept car, but now it’s headed to production. The flashy electric MG will be made by SAIC, a Chinese automotive company. The MG Cyberster was initially unveiled in April of 2021. It was such a hit that SAIC has decided to go forward with bringing it to reality. How did SAIC determine its viability? Via a crowdfunding campaign.
What is the MG Cyberster?
The MG Cyberster is a two-seater convertible that was displayed at the Shanghai Auto show in April. It’s reminiscent of the old school MG roadster that was sold until the 1980s, though this MG will be electric and come with some upgrades. The MG website says that the MG Cyberster will include a gaming cockpit and 5G connectivity.
The MG Cyberster has a sleek design and fancy light-up front grill, which is perhaps the best part of it. It has “hacker blade” wheels and a flattened “kamm tail” rear.
MG says that the Cyberster will have a range of 500 miles and get from 0 to 60 in less than three seconds. Of course this isn’t proven yet, as the MG Cyberster is still just a concept at this point. If it holds true though, it would make it an attractive electric sports car to a lot of people.
The director of SAIC Design Advanced London, Carl Gotham, said: “The Cyberster is a bold statement that looks strongly into MG’s future, touching on our heritage but more importantly building on our technology and advanced design.”
How did crowdfunding make the concept MG Cyberster a reality?
According to Jalopnik, the MG Cyberster went from idea to reality through a sorta-crowdfunding campaign. It’s only a sorta-crowdfunding campaign because it isn’t like SAIC needed the $775,000 raised via $155 payments to SAIC. However, it’s possible that SAIC used people’s willingness to spend the money to fund the project as a gauge on how the MG Cyberster would sell, were it to become mass-produced.
The MG Cyberster will be the first roadster-type vehicle made by SAIC
Autoweek reports that while MG has been popular in Europe since the company was bought by SAIC in the mid-2000s, there haven’t been any roadster-type vehicles in that time. That’s because the market where SAIC operates has different priorities. Instead, “sedans, hatchbacks, and crossovers” make up the bulk of SAIC’s cars.
MG’s website states that they currently have three plug-in EV’s in the UK: the MG Zs EV, the MG5 EV, and the MG HS Plug-In Hybrid. Unfortunately, MGs aren’t sold in the United States, and this means that it’s unlikely that we’ll see any of these EV’s – including the MG Cyberster.
Even if people in the United States won’t directly benefit from the MG Cyberster’s production, that doesn’t mean it won’t be exciting to see it once it’s ready for the road. With its sleek design and fancy grill, it promises to be a stylish car with excellent range. The fact that it is electric makes it feel appropriately relevant in today’s auto market.
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