MG Cyberster leaked by the Chinese government ahead of  Tesla Roadster rival’s official reveal 

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MG’s highly anticipated Cyberster sports car has been leaked by Chinese government filings, ahead of the roadster’s official reveal. 

The brand’s Australian arm has previously expressed interest in bringing the sports cars to our shores, as part of a push for a more upmarket brand appeal. 

As well as leaking images that show the electric roadster in full, the filings also revealed details surrounding powertrains and dimensions. 

Set to go on sale in 2024 (to celebrate the brand’s centenary), this Cyberster will occupy a rather niche spot in the market with Maserati being the only other mainstream manufacturer to put a two-door, all-electric sports car into production with the Granturismo Folgore. 

There is also the Tesla Roadster, but with constant delays pushing production back, as for when this will hit the market is anyone’s guess. 

Small looks, large footprint

Though the Cyberster seems to look like quite a dainty sports car in the leaked images, data from the filings suggest that this isn’t the case. 

At 4535mm long, 1913mm wide and 1329mm high, the Cyberstar is closer to something like a Porsche 911 than a Mazda MX-5. 

The same goes for its weight, but with batteries onboard, this should come as less of a surprise. In its heaviest, dual-motor form, the Cyberster tips the scales at 1985kg, which is almost on par with a Lexus LC500.

A good chunk of this weight is expected to be taken up by the battery, which is likely to be in the region of 75kWh, considering MG’s previous claims of up to an 800km driving range. 

Historically, Chinese range claims have been around 25 to 30 per cent more generous than WLTP ratings, so even with a range of 600km, the Cyberster will be an impressive proposition. 

As for styling, the production Cyberster is quite a departure from what we previously saw with the concept, but retains the same sports car aesthetic. 

The headlights are extremely angular, and the overall look of the body isn’t far off something like an Alpine A110. 

Arguably the most interesting aspect on the styling front are the taillights, which are made up of a pair of outward-facing arrows. 

On the inside, the interesting styling cues continue with the Tesla-style yoke steering wheel that was previously revealed in leaked images. 

Single and dual-motor variants to be offered

As is the case with most electric vehicles, the filings suggest that MG plans to offer the Cyberster in both single and dual-motor specifications.

Entry-level, single motor variants will reportedly get up to 230kW, while the range-topping dual-motor models could see as much as 400kW. 

It was previously reported that MG was aiming for a sub three-second 0-100km/h time with the Cyberster, so it will be interesting to see if this target is hit. 

Details surrounding the Cyberster’s battery are still yet to be revealed, but it’s likely that it will feature a lithium-ion unit manufactured by SAIC. 

MG has previously confirmed that the Cyberster will sit on SAIC’s Nebula electric platform. 

The platform can handle power outputs ranging from 150kW to 600kW, and battery sizes from 44kWh up to 150kWh.