MG looks to roadster past with Cyberster electric concept

MG Motor is revisiting its traditional sports-car past with the British designed Cyberster electric roadster concept.

The concept uses design cues from the brand’s past to visualize what a modern version of an MG sports car might look like. It will be unveiled at the Shanghai auto show on April 19.

The open-topped two-seat roadster has headlights that recall classic MGs such as the 1955 MGA  but this time they are embedded into the body work. The lights open when switched on to give the effect of the car waking up.

An LED light strip runs down both sides of the car in a styling flourish the brand calls a laser belt.

The rear end is vertical to give it a truncated "Kamm-tail," a design feature traditionally used to improve aerodynamics. The rear LED lights are styled to recall the UK’s Union Jack flag.

The Cyberster was created by MG owner SAIC's advanced design studio in London, which was opened in 2018.

Studio chief Carl Gotham described the car as a "bold statement" that looked to MG's future.

"Sports cars are the lifeblood of the MG DNA and Cyberster is a hugely exciting concept for us," he said in a statement.

The car is said to accelerate from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in less than 3 seconds and drive up to 800 km (497 miles) on a single charge.

The concept has 5G connectivity, MG said.

No production plans were revealed but MG in China is investigating crowd-sourced funding to get the car built, a spokesman for the brand in Europe told Automotive News Europe.

The Cyberster name combines the words cyber and roadster.

MG is positioning itself as an electric brand in Europe with the launch of two new EVs in continental markets this year, including the Marvel R electric compact SUV.

The brand already sells the ZS EV small SUV and the EHS plug-in hybrid compact SUV. MG aims to double the number of dealers it has in mainland Europe to 200 this year as it expands into markets such as Germany, France and Spain.

The Cyberster is the second sports car concept from MG in recent, following the E-Motion coupe in 2017.

The E-Motion was the first sporty car MG Motor had shown since it stopped building the TF two-seat sports car in 2011.

Since then the brand has focused on selling reworked versions of sedans, hatchbacks and SUVs made by SAIC's Chinese-market Roewe brand but aimed mainly at export markets.