Firstly, it’s an electric car. There’s a 77kWh battery set between the axles, while this top-spec GT model features an electric motor at each end for four-wheel drive and a total output of 496bhp. That’s a significant 200bhp more than the Boxster delivers, and 160bhp more than the Z4.
Then there’s the MG Cyberster’s size. At 4.54 metres long and 1.91 metres wide, it’s bigger than a 911 Turbo, while a gross weight of 2.2 tonnes is around 200kg more than the Porsche’s when fully laden. Despite this, the Cyberster has a 0-62mph time of 3.2 seconds, which isn’t far off what a 911 Turbo Cabrio can achieve.
While the Cyberster is big, that two-seat body manages to hide its dimensions well, and the car’s proportions ape those of a front-engined machine, with a long bonnet, a set-back cockpit and short bootlid. From the front, the pointed nose sweeps up and back to create a smooth shape, while the rear end is broken up by a set of fussy LED lights. The big arrows that point in the direction of the indicators look rather comical, although it’s only the outer edges that flash when you’re turning.
The biggest talking point about the exterior is the Cyberster’s scissor doors. Press a button, and electric motors allow them to sweep open vertically, which is bound to draw attention every time you use them. Access to the cabin is simple enough once they’re up (sensors prevent the doors opening if objects or people are too close, and the opening height can be set at different levels) while two big buttons on either side of the roof switch on the centre console are used to close them.
From behind the wheel, the Cyberster’s cabin feels roomy for a roadster, with plenty of space for two. However, one tell-tale sign of the car’s electric powertrain is evident as soon as you’re seated. When you climb aboard a Mazda MX-5 or Porsche 718 Boxster, there’s a sensation that your backside is only inches from the road, but in the Cyberster, you sit as tall as you would in a family hatchback. The location of the battery under the floor has dictated this, and while it means it’s easy to get in and out, it detracts from the sense of occasion that a sports car such as this should deliver.
