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MG’s Cyber SUV Might Be The Coolest Thing It’s Built Since The Cyberster

  • MG has dropped teaser images of a new Cyber X SUV ahead of the Shanghai Auto Show
  • Compact, rugged design features a squared nose, upright tail, and full-width LED light bars.
  • EV power is likely but unconfirmed; SAIC’s new E3 platform also takes hybrid powertrains.

MG’s Cyberster electric sports car helped make a splash for the brand, but it’s never going to sell in the millions. But here’s another Cyber-branded MG that might. It’s the Cyber X, and MG has just dropped teaser images of the boxy SUV ahead of its global reveal at the Shanghai Auto Show on April 23.

A series of silhouetted and darkened pictures show the second car from MG’s Cyber family from the side, the front- and rear-three-quarter angles. The X’s fashionably square nose and upright tail say this is a car designed for a younger crowd than the one usually seen in MG showrooms.

Related: MG Cyber GTS Concept Hints At Production Cyberster Coupe

A full-width LED light bar stretches across the Cyber X’s face, with an illuminated MG octagon mounted just below it and flanked by two smaller LEDs. The fenders are flared above the wheels, door handles are sunk flush with the door skin, and a pair of roof rails underlines the go-anywhere vibe. At the rear, the waistline rises to meet the chunky D-pillar, and there’s another full-width LED bar and illuminated MG badge rounding out the show at the tail.

We’ll have to wait until the day of the show to make a final assessment on the design, but from what we can see here, the mix of tech and tough will find the Cyber X plenty of admirers. It’s eerily reminiscent of the new Smart #5, which could be handy because the newly-launched Geely SUV is likely to be one of the X’s key rivals.

Tech details are practically non-existent at this stage, but Chinese reports say that the X will be one of the first cars to benefit from SAIC’s new E3 platform, which features cell-to-body construction where the battery pack is made part of the car’s structure in an effort to cut weight.

 MG’s Cyber SUV Might Be The Coolest Thing It’s Built Since The Cyberster
Image: MG/SAIC

The E3 architecture is capable of handling both electric and hybrid powertrains, though right now we don’t know whether the X will offer both or only one of those options. A closed grille suggests we’re looking at an EV. Car News China claims the X will feature semi-solid-state batteries, advanced drive assist features, and sophisticated phone-to-car integration.

We’ll be seeing more than the Cyber X from MG during this year and next. The automaker is preparing to roll out more than half a dozen new cars, including a second-generation MG4, a revised Cyberster, and four EVs, including a pair of sedans and a pair of SUVs. Not all are guaranteed to come to Europe, but our hunch is the Cyber X will find it worth the trip.

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Images: MG/SAIC

Mazda’s Model Y Fighter Is Here But America Isn’t Getting It

  • Mazda has revealed images of its EX-60 SUV in China ahead of this month’s Shanghai Show debut.
  • EV will be rebranded CX-6e for sale abroad; Euro sales not confirmed but surely inevitable by 2026.
  • EZ-60 and 6e/EZ-6e sedan ride on Changan platforms but electric tech lags behind Korean rivals’.

Mazda’s first crack at building an electric SUV, the quirky and range-challenged MX-30, was too weird for its own good, but the EZ-60 revealed this week in China plays it straight and that looks like a smart strategy.

Images released ahead of a full debut at the Shanghai Auto Show later this month show a bigger SUV with conventional doors, but just enough of a sporty Mazda vibe to tempt a few prospective Tesla Model Y buyers to switch sides.

Related: Four Mazda Models Are Being Discontinued This Year, But One Could Return

The EZ-60 is a production version of last year’s Arata concept, and will be renamed CX-6e for sale outside China, reflecting its position in the lineup as an electric alternative to the combustion CX-60. The final design stays close to the concept’s and features a much more assertive face than its Tesla rival, frameless door glass, camera-based mirrors, a coupe-like rear with a sloping roofline and dramatically angled D-pillar. 

Mazda hasn’t confirmed it’ll come to Europe but a debut there is all but inevitable given the region is one of the strongest markets for EVs and Mazda has already committed to launching its 6e sedan (known as the EZ-60 in China) in Europe later this year. We’d be amazed if it isn’t on sale in Europe in 2026.

Shared Platform, Familiar Hardware

 Mazda’s Model Y Fighter Is Here But America Isn’t Getting It

Both sedan and SUV are built around architecture from Chinese automaker Changan, whose Deepal S07 is already engaged in a battle with the Model Y, and coming to Europe before the end of 2025. We’ll have to wait until the EZ-60’s full reveal on April 23 to find out the exact specs, but we’re expecting substantial similarities to the 6e when it comes to battery and motor details.

For reference, the European-market 6e sedan has a choice of 68.6 and 80 kWh batteries and comes with a choice of two different motors. Both are single-motor setups driving the rear wheels, one serving up 241 hp (244 PS) and the other, 255 hp (258 PS). Electric range varies from 300 -345 miles (483-555 km), though the heavier and less aerodynamically efficient SUV probably won’t be quite so long-legged.

Charging and Range-Extender Tech

Deepal’s platform isn’t as advanced as Hyundai-Kia’s and can only charge at 200 kW, although that puts it on par with many European carmakers. But the architecture is versatile enough that the S07 is also offered with a 1.5-liter range-extender combustion engine in China, though Mazda won’t be borrowing that tech because it already offers the CX-60 as a PHEV.

Unfortunately for American buyers, the CX-6e won’t be crossing the Pacific. Since it’ll be built in China, it faces steep import barriers and little incentive under current US EV tax credit rules. For now, it looks like this one’s staying in markets where Mazda’s EV strategy is already gaining traction.

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VW Just Gave Us A Sneak Peek At Its Next Big EVs For China

  • Volkswagen has teased three new concepts for the Shanghai Auto Show.
  • They preview upcoming production models, which will be launched starting in 2026.
  • Volkswagen is planning to launch more than 20 new energy vehicles by 2027.

Update: Volkswagen has just released a few more teaser images of its trio of concept electric vehicles set to debut at the upcoming Shanghai auto show, offering a still shadowy—but intriguing—glimpse of what’s in store later this month.

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Momentum continues to build for the Shanghai Auto Show as Volkswagen will use the event to introduce three new concepts. They’ll highlight the company’s “In China, for China” strategy and be presented by their Chinese joint ventures.

The company didn’t go into many specifics, but confirmed there will be two crossovers. One will be an EV from Volkswagen Anhui, while the other is a B-segment SUV with a range-extended powertrain from SAIC Volkswagen. Rounding out the lineup is an electric notchback from FAW-Volkswagen.

More: ID. Every1 Concept Previews VW’s Cheapest EV

The teasers aren’t very revealing, but they suggests the models will have slender headlights that are connected by an illuminated bar. That’s not much to go on, but the company said the concepts will embody their new “China DNA – both in terms of technology and design and in relation to development time, which has been cut by more than 30 percent.”

 VW Just Gave Us A Sneak Peek At Its Next Big EVs For China

Speaking of the latter, Volkswagen confirmed the concepts preview upcoming production models. These will be launched starting next year.

Volkswagen’s design boss Andreas Mindt said, “We have adapted our established European design values – stability, likability and the ‘secret sauce’ – to the Chinese market. The result is a design philosophy that honors the heritage of our brand while at the same time reflecting the desires and expectations of a new generation of customers in China.”

His sentiments were echoed by Volkswagen brand CEO Thomas Schäfer who said, “Our aim is to remain the leading international automaker in China. We have everything that it takes to be successful: shorter development times, strong partners, sophisticated local development, production and infrastructure as well as the right products and innovations for our Chinese customers.”

This Smart SUV Is Quicker Than A BMW M3 And Nothing Like The Awful ForTwo

  • Smart has introduced the new #5 Brabus, which packs 637 horsepower
  • The mid-size crossover sports 21-inch wheels and an upscale interior.
  • German pricing starts at €60,900 and orders begin later this month.

Smart has introduced the #5 Brabus, ahead of its launch at the Shanghai Auto Show later this month. It’s a high-performance electric crossover that will be offered in several markets outside of North America.

Set to become Smart’s range-topper, the #5 Brabus follows in the footsteps of the regular model but adopts unique 21-inch monoblock wheels with a two-tone finish. We can also see red brake calipers, red accents, and a ton of Brabus badging.

More: Smart’s New #5 Compact SUV Isn’t Coming To The US And That’s A Mistake

The interior is high-tech and luxurious, as there’s a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster and dual 13-inch displays. Drivers will also find an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel with illuminated Brabus lettering.

Elsewhere, there are microfiber and Dinamica seats with red contrast stitching. They sport heating and ventilation up front as well as heating out back.

Rounding out the highlights are a panoramic glass roof, a microfiber headliner, and sporty pedals. Customers will also find red seat belts, a 256-color ambient lighting system, and a 20-speaker Sennheiser Signature audio system with more than 2,000 watts of power.

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Smart didn’t release detailed specifications, but confirmed the crossover has a 100 kWh battery pack that feeds an all-wheel drive system with a combined 637 hp (475 kW / 646 PS). This enables the hot Smart to rocket from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 3.8 seconds and claim a WLTP range of 336 miles (540 km). That’s faster than a BMW M3, and there’s even a Brabus mode featuring simulated engine sounds to “further enhance the driving experience.”

When the battery is low, customers can take advantage of the crossover’s 400 kW DC fast charging capability. It enables the battery to go from a 10% to 80% charge in as little as 18 minutes.

The Smart #5 Brabus will go up for order in Germany on April 24, and pricing starts at €60,900 ($66,850). UK orders are slated to begin in the fourth quarter, although there’s no word on pricing there yet.

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