MG's Electrified Shed Gets a Roof and Two More Seats
Image Credit: MG.
What have we got here? It looks like we are having an MG day today… After revealing the boxy Cyber X, the slightly bonkers Cyberster roadster – you know, the one with the doors that do that dramatic wing thing – is about to get a proper roof. MG is calling it the Cyber GTS, and apparently, it's going into production this year. Yes, I know - a fixed roof. Imagine that. No more wrestling with canvas when the heavens decide to unleash their watery fury. Progress, it seems, marches on, even if it's occasionally in sensible shoes.
The Cyber GTS, from what I can gather, is going to be a dead ringer for the concept we clapped eyes on at that glorified garden party for petrolheads, the Goodwood Festival of Speed, last year. Apparently, the only real difference will be the wheels, which are being swapped out for something a tad more normal. Shame, really. I quite liked the outlandish alloys; they added a certain je ne sais quoi, a hint of madness that's often missing from many electric contraptions.
Image Credit: MG.
But the big news, the truly earth-shattering revelation, is that because they've gone all sensible with a fixed roof, they've managed to squeeze in a couple of extra seats for a 2+2 layout. I wouldn't go expecting to transport your rugby team in the back, but it's certainly more practical than the two-up setup in the roadster. Though, practicality and sports coupes have always been strange bedfellows, like putting ketchup on a perfectly good scone. Utterly baffling.
And speaking of the roadster, the old girl isn't being left out in the cold. For the 2026 model year, it's getting a bit of a spruce-up. New paint jobs, apparently. "Iris Green" and "Andes Gray." Sounds terribly sophisticated, but I suspect they're just fancy names for, well, green and gray. They're also doing a "Black edition" with some new fancy wheels. You know, more black is always the answer. It's the automotive equivalent of wearing a leather jacket – instantly cooler, even if it doesn't actually do anything.
Image Credit: MG.
The insides of the drop-top are getting a bit of a tickle, too. New upholstery options – black and red or gray and white. Riveting stuff… Electric lumbar support for both the driver and the poor soul in the passenger seat. Finally! No more contorting yourself into unnatural shapes trying to find a comfortable driving position. They've also chucked in a new wind deflector, which should at least stop your toupee from taking flight every time you put your foot down. And… an improved voice recognition system. Let's hope it's an improvement on the current systems, which tend to understand about one word in ten.
Curiously, the 2026 Cyberster will also benefit from "revised chassis tuning" and "improvements to battery life." Right, that could mean anything, couldn't it? They could have fiddled with a few bolts, added an extra mile of range, and called it a day. Still, any improvement is a welcome one, I suppose. Especially when it comes to range anxiety. There's nothing quite like the feeling of impending doom as the little battery icon creeps ever closer to zero.
Image Credit: MG.
As for the oily bits, there's no mention of any changes to the powertrain. So, we're likely still looking at the same options as before. The rear-wheel-drive version with a not-inconsiderable 335 horsepower (that's about 340 of those European PS things) or the slightly unhinged all-wheel-drive model boasting a healthy 536 horsepower (or 544 PS, if you're feeling continental). And in China, where these things are currently doing their thing, you can choose between a 64 kWh or a 77 kWh battery pack. In layman's terms, this means you get to choose how far you want to go before you have to plug it in again.
And what about performance? Again, they're being rather coy about the refreshed version, but the current all-wheel-drive Cyberster can apparently scamper to 60 mph in well under four seconds. Which is rather alarming. It's the kind of acceleration that makes your internal organs rearrange themselves. The rear-wheel-drive version is a tad more… leisurely, but still perfectly capable of getting you into trouble with the local highway patrol.
Image Credit: MG.
I suspect that the burning question, the one that's probably keeping you up at night, is how much will all this electrifying excitement set you back? Your guess is as good as mine. They haven't actually said. But if the current model's prices in Europe are anything to go by, you're probably looking at somewhere in the region of $65,000 for the rear-wheel-drive version and upwards of $75,000 for the all-wheel-drive lunatic. That's a lot of money by any standard, but you get a lot of performance and decent looks in exchange. Will it ever make it to the US? In the current situation, I honestly doubt it.
Image Credit: MG.
MG is doubling down on this electric malarkey. A new coupe with a proper roof and a couple of extra seats, and a nip and tuck for the already slightly mad roadster. Will it set the world on fire? I hope only figuratively… I say that in a world increasingly filled with beige electric boxes, a bit of flamboyant madness is always welcome. Even if it does come with a Chinese passport these days.
