Incoming MG Cyber X is 4X4 follow-up to roadster

We rather like the MG Cyberster. Interesting-looking electric sports cars are not exactly numerous right now, and while it was by no means perfect, the roadster was an impressively bold attempt to get a grip on what the new segment ought to be all about. But innovation and good looks only gets you so far in a niche that does not command game-changing sales volume, so having established the reputation of its ‘Cyber’ lineup, it seems like MG will follow it up with something almost guaranteed to get punters in the door – a chunky SUV. 

These early images, released ahead of the new model’s debut at the Shanghai motor show, suggest that the Cyber X will rival a G-wagen for air flow-defying boxiness. Plainly, this is no coincidence – wholesale use of a right angle in SUV design has become the calling card for an entire generation of electric-powered options, all of them hoping to graft old-school 4×4 sensibilities onto new-school platforms. So while ‘groundbreaking innovation’ may well be among MG’s talking points, aesthetically the X is leaning into nostalgia like a remade episode of Frasier. 

Of course, the handy thing about such ruggedness is the space it leaves for natty details. Here they include full-width LED light bars, illuminated MG badges and (seemingly) concealed door handles. Underneath you can expect to find the SAIC-developed E3 architecture, a new modular solution that uses the composition of the battery to contribute to the structural rigidity of the body, and is set to underpin a raft of incoming EVs. No word yet on the technical details, but given the obviously ‘lifestyle’ appeal of the Cyber X – and the upmarket image of the brand – you can expect the output to be ample to the point of lavish. 

Unlike the Cyberster, the newcomer will not be short of rivals, and is unlikely to pique the interest of enthusiasts in quite the same way – but thanks to its wider lineup, MG already enjoys a dedicated and rapidly growing fanbase in the UK, and (assuming the Cyber X gets the same global launch that the roadster did) it is likely to be a popular addition to showrooms. Especially if it comes with a well-chosen price tag: a single-motor Cyberster is from £54,995 – essentially the same price as an entry-level Porsche Boxster. Meanwhile the Macan Electric starts at £68,500.