There must have been a few titles in contention at the meeting to decide what MG would name its striking new roadster.
They ended up calling it the Cyberster. But a car that looks so sinful could have gotten away with a moniker even more risqué.
MG Cybersex? It fits, because after all, this is a fully-electric, highly-digitised and future-forward simulation of the classic roadster archetype that made legions hot and bothered for the British brand during its halcyon years.
A lot has changed since those heady days. For starters, MG is under Chinese ownership and the younger audience buying cars in South Africa are not likely to be familiar with the sepia-hued heritage the marque likes to reference.
Anyway, even though times have changed, in 2025 you can still live out your mid-life impulses behind the wheel of a sexy, sporting drop-top donning the iconic octagon badge.
You simply have to take it in the distinctive shade of crimson, which accentuates its dazzling shape, somewhere between the profile of a torpedo, the curves of a violin and aggression of a deep-sea creature.
Viewed with the butterfly doors in their open position, the Cyberster makes you weak at the knees.
Its dramatic presence makes for comfortable placing among exotica costing twice as much. People are genuinely intrigued by the rare MG, which costs R1,399,900. No small sum, but consider that it is priced in the same league as the BMW Z4, as well as more common, conventional four-seater cabriolet models like the BMW 4 Series and Mercedes-Benz CLE. A Porsche Boxster these days starts at R2,170,000.
So the visuals are hugely arousing, but some might not be turned on by the notion that the Cyberster moves in silence.
A person would be forgiven for thinking that a car this charismatic should have a rich cylindrical soundtrack to match. That was my thought after pulling up alongside an old Jaguar F-Type V6 S.
Still, the thrill of quietly blasting away from rest to 100km/h in a claimed 3.2 seconds is exciting.
In its most dynamic driving mode the MG feels rapid enough to make you hope that hair implant technician in Turkey grafted your follicles down tightly enough.
What also surprised was just how lively the rear can be, despite its four-wheel drive layout with two motors — powering either axle. Tyre squirm and prospensity for light oversteer are not sensations usually associated with the average electric car, but with an output of 375kW/725Nm, the Cyberster is hardly garden variety.
Suspension tuning leans toward the compliant side, which is a good thing, imbuing the Cyberster with a forgiving, grand tourer type of ride quality rather than that of a hard-sprung apex attacker.
The benefit of the hushed electric powertrain is that one can take in the sounds of nature and the outdoors, maximising those idyllic vibes.
Driven with the roof up, however, the sounds of silence amplified unwanted acoustic irritations. Like the creaky fixtures that hold the fabric top in place.
Although those electrically-operated doors make for theatrical entrances, the process of waiting for the open-close action makes quick getaways impossible. But being an occasional car, buyers are likely to dismiss such downsides.
It rained heavily during our time with the car, which provided a good test for insulation. No leaks to report. Aside from the roof creaks, build quality appears to be of a fair standard, the materials convey a suitably high-end aspiration, comprising leather and alcantara finishes. Good enough, but the earlier-mentioned BMW Z4 still bests it for overall solidity.
At first, the screen-intensive, unfamiliar layout of the driver-centric cockpit can be intimidating. After a day behind the saddle one wonders why all cabin designs are not done this way. The separate displays for audio function, vehicle information and the surround-view camera are cleverly thought-out.
A central tunnel compartmentalises either occupant — the passenger has dedicated vents and no infotainment access, so their job is to simply sit pretty.
The cabin has a surprising number of storage spaces, including a useful nook behind the seats. Its boot is also sufficient at 249l, enough for two decently-sized overnight bags.
With an expectedly low tar-kissing 116mm of ground clearance, you would expect the car to graze its chin over humps and angled driveways. Clearly MG did the necessary real-world testing, as the Cyberster seemed fine in urban settings, not having to negotiable undulations sideways like a stanced-out VW Citi Golf driver.
Chinese marques in SA have made an impact with affordable pricing, democratisation of features and attractive styling. But MG is the only one among them with a true halo model that captivates on sheer desire, instead of the practical considerations. As an image-builder for the brand, the Cyberster does wonders. It might achieve the same for a few daring owners.
