MG Cyberster: China dares to build an e-roadster

In the EU, Chinese electric cars will soon be 25 to 35 percent more expensive due to punitive tariffs. And in Switzerland? Thanks to the free trade agreement with China, they will continue to be available at attractive prices. No wonder, explains Nicole Sahlmann, Brand Director of MG in Switzerland: "Our brand is coming to Switzerland at the right time and with an extremely interesting offer. It makes e-mobility affordable for the public and offers quality and performance at the same time."

The parent company of the once British brand MG is SAIC Motor (Shanghai Automobile Industry Corporation) and is no less than the seventh largest car manufacturer in the world. In Switzerland Astara responsible for the import of MG - and because there was no dealer network, Nicole Sahlmann and her team were able to start on a greenfield site. "We want to set up a total of 25 MG Customer Experience Centers across Switzerland by the end of 2025. We currently have eleven, and negotiations are underway with other partners," she explains. With contracts for 374 vehicles at the end of September and with the new models that will be presented at the Auto Zurich at the beginning of November Sahlmann sees himself on course.

The sporty two-seater Cyberster roadster is sure to cause a stir. After the legendary Tesla Roadster, a roadster with an electric motor and a choice of rear or all-wheel drive is now available to buy again after many years. Even the entrance through the scissor doors - an in-house development by MG engineers in China - is a real eye-catcher. Practical: the doors are electrically controlled and can be opened at the touch of a button. This is why there are no classic door handles, as these doors are only operated manually in an emergency.

In the MG Cyberster, you sit in a cockpit equipped with numerous displays. In addition to the central 10.25-inch screen with the most important information for the driver, there are two seven-inch displays to the left and right of it, giving the impression of a curved screen. The most important controls for gear selection, soft top mechanism and other vehicle settings are located on the rising center console.

Thanks to a 50:50 percent weight distribution and low center of gravity, the electric roadster, which is just 1.33 meters high, sits very well on the road. The rear-wheel drive model boasts 250 kW (340 hp) and 475 Nm and easily sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.0 seconds. The all-wheel drive model is even faster thanks to 400 kW (520 hp), 725 Nm and Launch Control, which is activated via the "Super Sport" button on the steering wheel, for example. To match its sprinting ability, the color of the digital display changes to an aggressive red, and the Chinese car completes the parade sprint in 3.2 seconds. But it is actually almost more fun to cruise around open-top. The fabric roof - which comes from the largest convertible manufacturer, the supplier Magna - disappears behind the seats quickly and, above all, without affecting the trunk volume. This is because the 4.35 meter long and 1.91 meter wide roadster shines with 249 liters of storage space, whether the roof is open or closed.

On the first ride, the Cyberster, which is also visually appealing, proves to be very agile and comfortable. Although it doesn't take minor bumps completely in its stride, it makes a well-balanced impression overall. Both variants of the electric roadster have a 77 kWh battery, which gives the rear-wheel drive model a range of up to 507 kilometers according to the WLTP. The all-wheel drive model still achieves a respectable 443 kilometers. Practical: thanks to a 144-kW fast-charging function, the battery can be charged to 80 percent with direct current (DC) in less than 40 minutes and you can continue cruising.

What is particularly exciting about MG's new image carrier is the pricing: the well-equipped rear-wheel drive model with 19-inch wheels is available from CHF 63,990. The all-wheel-drive Cyberster rolls to customers on 20-inch wheels from CHF 67,990.