Somewhere between bold and bonkers, MG’s new Cyberster is the car nobody really expected from new-age version of the old-school British brand. But this is MG getting back to its roots for a new age, celebrating its 100-year anniversary in 2024.
Overall fit and finish, and the sense of perceived quality is impressively high. Stitched seams line-up accurately, most touch points use tactile materials and there’s a pleasing overall coherence. But there are some areas that jar. There’s an odd mix of controls – the key climate control buttons grouped usefully above the central screen are haptic units, but everything else on the centre console uses push-pull buttons.
The ride quality is a revelation. Despite riding on 20-inch ‘Jetstream’ alloys shod with 245/40 front and 275/35 rear profile Pirelli P Zero PZ4 Elect tyres, the GT breathes across the road in a beautifully controlled manner that Jaguar and Lotus owners will immediately find familiar. Body control at all speeds is excellent. It’s only over really abrupt intrusions that you can sense rather than feel the chassis flex.
The drive modes – Comfort, Custom, Sport, Track – tweak the level of steering assistance, accelerator mapping, torque distribution between front and rear axles, and the climate control. Comfort is exactly that – a more relaxed right pedal, Goldilocks steering assistance, on-demand all-wheel drive and full-fat air-con. Conversely, Sport mode sparks up the accelerator, less assistance for a heavier steer, full-time four-wheel drive and, uh, full-fat air-con.