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Road Test: Ballater, Braemar and Glenshee in the 500bhp MG Cyberster electric convertible

Our motoring writer took the £60,000 Cyberster on a tour of Aberdeenshire and Angus's most beautiful scenery.

motoring writer Jack McKeown beside the MG Cyberster with its doors open.
Our motoring writer tests the MG Cyberster. Image: MG.

The MG Cyberster is a two-seater electric roadster with stunning looks and an equally impressive turn of speed.

The earliest models aren’t due to arrive with customers until next month but MG invited me to Aberdeenshire to be one of the first journalists to drive the Cyberster.

Two version of the Cyberster are available in the UK. The Trophy model costs £54,995. It has 335bhp motor powering the rear wheels and a 316-mile range.

For another £5,000 you can have the range topping GT version which has a whopping 496bhp, four-wheel drive and a 276-mile range.

MG Cyberster has striking gullwing doors.
The MG Cyberster has striking gullwing doors. Image: MG.
A red MG Cyberster parked on a rural road
Its looks are head-turning. Image: MG.

Both models have impressive straight line speed, with the Trophy getting from 0-62mph in 5.0 seconds and the GT completing the sprint in an astonishing 3.2 seconds.

Trophy models have 19in wheels while GT models have 20in wheels with fancier alloys. Apart from that there’s no way to tell the two versions apart – they have identical standard equipment and badging.

All versions also come with an excellent seven-year, 80,000 mile warranty.

Our motoring scribe ready to go exploring
Our motoring scribe ready to go exploring in the MG Cyberster. Image: MG.
Jack behind the wheel
Setting off. Image: MG.

The fabric roof opens and closes electronically in under 15 seconds at speeds of up to 30mph. You get heated seats and steering wheel, a Bose stereo, 360-degree camera, and a three-screen wraparound cockpit.

MG Cyberster has gullwing doors

The Cyberster’s party trick is its fancy gullwing doors, which lift and lower electronically at the touch of a button.

It looks terrific and means there are no door handles, which gives the car a sleeker look and marginally improves aerodynamics.

If you’re not tall it’s a bit of a stretch to reach the close button when the doors are fully open. Normal doors would probably be easier to use but normal is boring and the Cyberster is anything but boring.

The gullwing doors are open and the car is parked on a road through the moors
The gullwing doors add panache. Image: MG.
They lift and lower at the touch of a button. Image: MG.

MG launched the Cyberster at Fasque House, just outside Fettercairn. I took the car on a loop through Ballater, Balmoral, Braemar and Glenshee.

The route took in some of Scotland’s most stunning woodland, riverside and mountain scenery – as well as some fantastic driving roads.

Lightning quick

I was driving the more powerful GT model and its pace is phenomenal. Push down on the pedal and the car rushes towards the horizon. It’s really quite intoxicating and I’m glad the roads were virtually deserted on my four-hour drive in the car.

When I got back to base I had a bit of time so I took the lower-powered Trophy version out for half an hour.

Despite ‘only’ having 335bhp it still feels extremely fast and many buyers will be just as happy saving £5,000 and going for this version.

A convertible MG Cyberster seen from above
Hitting the road. Image: MG.
The Cyberster has a terrific turn of speed. Image: MG.

Its handling isn’t quite as impressive as its turn of speed but it’s still very good. The Cyberster has a relatively low weight for an electric vehicle, with the Trophy weighing 1,900kg and the GT 2,000kg.

It has plenty of grip and you have to be pushing hard before the car feels unwieldy.

There are four driving modes to choose from: Custom, Comfort, Sport and Track. I kept it in Sport mode for most of my drive, but Comfort is the one you’d choose on a long motorway journey.

What’s it like inside?

Speaking of comfort, there’s plenty of room for two adults inside and MG have made sure the boot is big enough for a set of golf clubs.

The only thing to criticise it for is the three-screen set up. It looks great, but your hands on the steering wheel partially block the view of the side screens.

The interior of the MG Cyberster, which has three screens that wrap around the steering wheel.
The interior has three screens that wrap around the steering wheel. Image: MG.
The roads around Ballater and Braemar were an ideal testing ground. Image: MG.

It’s fiddly to use and slow to respond as well, but I suspect most people will bypass that by using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto instead.

Two weeks prior to my Cyberster drive I spent a day in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. Coincidentally, a section of the driving route – from Braemar through Glenshee – was the same.

They’re two very different types of car. One is a five-seat SUV while the other is a two-seat roadster.

Yet they’re both very powerful, fully electric, and developed with performance in mind. Both cars are tremendous fun to drive and give lie to the idea that electric cars can’t be thrilling.

The Cyberster is a a sharp-looking car. Image: MG.
The MG Cyberster seen from the front - its hood folds down in 15 seconds.
Its hood folds down in 15 seconds. Image: MG.

What the Cyberster is not is an MX-5. It’s bigger and heavier. It doesn’t have the lightweight, go-kart feel of the MX-5. It’s much more like a BMW Z4 or a Jaguar F-Type in terms of size and driving dynamics.

Indeed, if you’re a Z4 or an F-Type owner who wanted to switch to an electric roadster I imagine you’d be very pleased with the Cyberster.

Should I buy an MG Cyberster?

MG has taken a huge gamble with the Cyberster. It’s priced more than £20,000 above their next most expensive car. You can buy a Jaguar F-Type for only a few grand more and a Porsche 718 actually costs less.

And it’s not like £60,000 roadsters are mass market cars. It’s always going to be a niche model for the company.

The MG Cyberster is a terrific electric roadster. Image: MG.
The car seen from the rear with hills in the distance
It’s a great car for a scenic drive through the Cairngorms. Image: MG.

But it really doesn’t have any rivals yet. The Polestar 6 and Tesla Roadster are unlikely to go on sale before 2026 and will cost much more than the Cyberster.

I hope it does well. It’s a beautiful car with stunning straight-line speed, good handling, and enough space and comfort for long distances.

It didn’t fail to put a smile on my face.

MG Cyberster review – facts:

Price: £59,995

0-62mph: 3.2 seconds

Top speed: 125mph

Range: 276 miles

CO2 emissions: 0g/km

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