I guess we will soon find out if it will fulfil the hype and speculations 
âŚ
Thatâs the thing, there has been relatively little hype, and not that much speculation. But it could turn out to be the most important Chinese car, not because of whatever sales (its a dying segment) but as a watershed for the Chinese automotive industry. The MG4 seems to be the first Chinese car that can compete on its own merits, not just because its cheap etc⌠Hyundais became generally available in the mid-80s in the UK (the Cortina-based Steller, though the Pony came out earlier, but not really on sale in the UK); at what point was it after that did people start thinking of Hyundas and Kias as good cars, not just cheap cars?
The Cyberster will either reinvigorate a stale segment, or rob sales off Mazda.
Hyundai really got going when it took on a team of Morris engineers, laid off from the Marina project, to sort out the Pony. The Hyunda Pony is basically what those engineers wanted the Morris Marina to be. On the face of it, MG has recruited some good engineers. They scored a surprising success with the MG5 estate; its an average car, but its filled an unmet need (small family estate, no frills, right price and an EV)âŚ
The lack of enough charging infrastructure is still a big problem. Our neigbour bought an ID4 a few months back but major problems with charging whenever the family went away for a week now sees him back in a diesel Skoda. He could spend a full day out of a weeks break looking for chargers that were working.
The local VW dealer that he bought it from wouldnât take it in PX. Apparently all VW dealers have been told not to take any EVs into stock as there are too many in the network.
National radio ads going out at the moment for the full range of Kia EVs. One line stating âAvailable sooner than you thinkâ makes me wonder if they are struggling to sell them in expected numbers.
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As a long time MG owner/driver (new to MX5) this is very intriguing indeed. Looks lovely and has some strong TF impressions in the overall body design. Interestingly, there is no mention of this over on the MG forum, at least not in F/TF section. I will be sharing over there to get some thoughts from those guys.
Interestingly, some of the F/TF petrol heads over on MG-Rover.org managed to degenerate the discussion into an anti EV climate change denial mess 
Autocar today
718 Boxster sized, up to 2 tonnes!!! But up to 536bhp too 
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send them this 
I doesnât seem to be small light and nimble, depending where the mx5 recipe goes it seems to be competing with bigger stuff at the momentâŚ
The only thing that it has in common with traditional MGs is the badge!
David
Donât forgot the geopolitical implications regarding oil imports from increasingly unstable parts of the world. Japanâs entry into WW2 was essentially caused by its need to secure oil supplies. Most of tnhe major conflcts since 1945 have oil at the heart of them. This is also a consideration intomthe mix. Constandinides also fails to take into account the consumption of abiotic carbon. There are other glaring miusunderstandings he presents. But all of that is completely irrelevant to this topic. Start a new non-political topic on the subject. It might be worthwhile.
The ND doesnât have much in common with the original MX5.
Also Lotus cars donât have much in common with original Lotus models. Does a 2023 have anything to do with a VW-based 356?
Not sure it is a necessity for any modern car to share underpinnings with original models, otherwises Fords will still be based on Model Ts.
The weight seems to be an issue. But the second generation Tesla Roadster is supposed to be coming in at 4400-4700lbs, so the MG is at the lower end of that scale.
The original Lotus Elan weighed 1500lbs, and is considered the definitive lightweight sports car.
The ND MX5, considered âlightweightâ in 2023 comes in 54% heavier, largely down to improved comfort and safety systems seen as essential in 2023. Turns out its similar to a not exactly lithe 60 year okld MGB. The MG is 84% heavier again. Similar in kerbweight to the MG4. Tesla batteries seem to come in at over 1800lbs. The MG is probably similar. Just as increased safety saw an increase in kerbweights, so, it seems, are batteries.
But the MX5 isnât a light and nimble sportscar in the grand scheme of things. Its only light and nimble when compared to 2015 peers.
Weâve brought into a 30 plus year old myth that the MX5 is a lightweight sports car. Relative to what?
The MX5 handles like a lightweight sports car thanks to chassis design (achieved by CAS not slide rules). But even Mazda tamed the chassis after 1991 to allow even inept drivers think they were driving well (Mazda engineers were reportedly against the addition of the subframe braces).
Electric cars are heavier than ICE cars. The heavier a car the more energy it will take to move it. We pay tax on our vehicles which is in theory partly to maintain the roads. Heavier vehicles cause more damage. Electric vehicles attract less tax. Is it just me or has the whole world gone crazy?
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I disagree in that, although the ND has lots of mod cons that the NA didnt have, the basis of the British sports car ethos is still there.
Not necessary, true; but that that would be to digress. Actually, the Ford T was built down to a price, and, at least until recently that was still true of Fords.
Speaking from memory here, it seems to me that this was a relatively late entry to the genre.
If I recall correctly, the MGB and MGC were larger than the earlier models and I would compare the Miata to an MG Midget or Triumph Spitfire. The new MG EV is a considerable departure from these, even ignoring the heavy battery. Whereas the ND has similar rounded looks to its predecessors, the new MG has little in common with an MG from 60 years ago, as far as body shape is concerned. (To me it looks like something out of a science fiction movie.)
David
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Not sure that looks like crash damage 
This site suggests the car is an Acura that burned at the 'ring in 2014 :- The Acura NSX Is (Literally) On Fire - The Car Guide
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Some weights and dimensions.
Lotus Elan S4 1,422mm 3,683mm 680kg 115hp Wiki
Midget Mk III 1,397 3,480 735 65 Wiki
MGB 1,524 3,891 940 94 (early) MG-Cars.org
NB 1.8 1.680 3,980 1,000 138 UltimateSpecs
ND 2.0 1,730 3,915 1,058 181 Wiki
E-Type S2 4.2 1,657 4,451 1,170 261 UltimateSpecs
BMW Z4 M40 1,864 4,324 1,503 382 ZigWheels
Cyberster 1,913 4,535 1,985 535 (combined) Motor1.com
Not sure any of the MX-5âs compares to a Midget the MGB comparison seems more accurate, Cyberster dimensions are more Z4 territory for width and E-type for length being wider and longer than both.
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Its not possible, may never be possible, to build road legal sports of the weight of the MX5 after 2030. Just like we cannot build a car similar to the original Elan and still keep it road legal. Either the death of the sportscar, or we shift expectations, Some would say the conditions for a sports car disappeared 20 years ago.
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Ok, you win â my memory is obviously foggy! Thanks for looking up the actual numbers. it is my impression that the apparent size of the ND seems to depend on the point from which it is viewed, so the same is probably true for an MG.
David
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In traffic, top down, test driver enjoying sunshine and smog. Click for brief video.
This very strange. A car in camoflage, but âbrochureâ photos. Or is this a new 21st century take on two-tone. Weâve seen on the MG4 (seeing a lot of these now on the roads in the UK) how black vinyl is used to break up the slabbiness of sides and on the Cyberster (MG-C), black trim is used on the beltline to tone down the 911 Cabriolet look (given the motor in in the rear, and the front âfrunkâ is taken up with electric gubbins (see MG4, I expect it will be pretty much the same there), it looks like MG has tried to work in some rear boot space.
If MG believe their own hype, and somehow believe this is a Boxster competitor, its going to fail. If on the other hand, they price it like a MX5, honestly, people wonât care about the weight, and it will sell.
Look at the Pontiac Solstice (and its Saturn twin); while essentially a US only car (small sales in Germany as an Opel and Korea as a Daewoo), it was a bit of a hit, outselling the MX5 despite being almost 400kg heavier. It had power through a 2.4 4-cylinder. Killed off prematurely not because of poor sales, but because it needed a specialist factory, and the whole Pontiac brand was canned (assembly couldnât be transferred to another factory).
