Images of a futuristic 100% electric sports car from MG have been circulating on the internet for some time. It now seems to be really happening because the production version of the electric roadster is expected to be delivered to customers in the first half of 2024. MG is on track to produce its ‘Project E’ two-seat electric MG roadster and will unveil it next April, ahead of first UK deliveries in the first half of 2024, a spokesperson for the originally English and now Chinese car brand said. .
A beautiful study model of the MG Cyberster, which did not go further than a concept but is eye-catching
First previewed by the 2021 Cyberster concept and known internally as ‘Project E’, the sports car was set to be unveiled at the Guangzhou Motor Show this month, but has nevertheless been postponed to next year following concerns that the event could November would be postponed or canceled due to Covid-19 restrictions. The production car “will be a game changer in terms of brand perception,” MG UK commercial director Guy Pigounakis told Autocar magazine at a recent event. The car will be available with two-wheel drive (probably rear-wheel drive) or as a “very powerful” four-wheel drive version with two engines.
The car will be a model that stands out from the rest of MG’s line-up. British executives had to rethink their positioning when the first full-size production car prototype arrived from China ahead of its unveiling originally scheduled for this month. Until the arrival of the model, we saw it as a natural successor to the MGF. So that’s not it at all. This car is in a very different segment of the market,” said Pigounakis, without revealing the price. But from circulating images, you can see that the MG Cyberster EV is moving into the market segment of the Porsche Boxter, the BMW Z4 and the Mazda MX-5.
The car was teased in a video posted to social media in August (below) showing the roadster’s sleek silhouette with its long nose, power-folding canvas roof, yoke steering wheel, two-tone sports seats and distinctive LED headlights. goods. Other final design elements visible at this early stage include a subtle ‘ducktail’ rear spoiler and a Union Jack-style taillight design – a nod to MG’s British roots. It’s telling that MG captioned the video ‘return of the legend’, strongly suggesting that the final production car will revive a sporty nameplate from the brand’s illustrious past. Earlier this year, the Chinese car brand created a trademark for the name ‘MG C EV’, which refers to a lesser-known, six-cylinder in-line version of the brand-defining MGB from the late 1960s.
The two-seat electric sports car was presented as a freak concept in 2021, which company bosses said was given the go-ahead for production after receiving more than 5,000 serious responses from potential buyers.
The official preview and recently filed design patents show how far design has progressed since that concept and indicate that the Cyberster that will essentially serve as an electric rival to the Mazda MX-5, for example, is almost ready for an official unveiling. Although the silhouette of the production car has a visual relationship with that earlier concept, it has changed in many details. It is a totally new design that brings the car into harmony with MG’s current production models and makes it compliant with worldwide homologation rules. For example, it sits higher than before, the wheels are smaller and fitted with bigger size tires, the headlights are now uncovered and the gaping front grille panel has been swapped out for what appears to be a more subtle, decorative item, perhaps with an array of sensors.
It still looks like a two-seater, but has a folding roof rather than sticking to the concept’s open cockpit. The prominent streamlines that ran from the headrests to the rear edge of the boot lid are gone. Despite the car looking more or less unmasked in these gray images, little is still known about its powertrain, pricing or performance potential.
The concept would be based on a custom EV architecture, with a range of 497 miles and a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of less than 3.0 seconds. The car is affordably priced, possibly even competitive with today’s entry-level combustion engine sports cars. Speaking of adding ‘Project E’ to the MG lineup, Pigounakis previously told Autocar: “The problem with sports cars is that everyone loves them, but not many people buy them.” However, he added that MG’s global volume means it “can afford to invest in sports cars and have a long-term view of when there will be a return on investment”, adding that having a sports car “our huge PR and marketing benefits. The Cyberster builds on the Chinese brand’s recent major success in the UK and in Europe. It has seen steady growth. A third new MG to arrive by 2024 has not yet been confirmed , but it will likely be a third SUV given continued consumer demand for tall vehicles, positive developments for an iconic British car brand in a new automotive world where Made in China will play an increasingly important role.
Are you already a subscriber to our RaceXpress Youtube channel? And do you want to enjoy the wonderful racing action of Formula 1 or car and motorsport or karting even more? Subscribe to our RaceXpress YouTube channel!
