Cyberster the start of something special, says MG
Carl Gotham, design director at SAIC’s London studio, chats about the resurgence of the new-look MG brand and the role design has played in that
Not long after presenting the all-new MG3 on stage at the Geneva Motor Show, long-time SAIC designer Carl Gotham, who heads up the brand’s London studio, sat down with us to reflect on where the brand is at and what’s coming down the line.
But this was not a conversastion had while perched on stools or huddled amid the crowd – instead, we took refuge in one of the new sedans that caught CDN’s eye, the MG7, which also proved to be a handy recording studio.
Car Design News: We will get to the MG7 in a moment, but there is a solid view of the Cyberster to our left with its finished interior on full display; the yoke steering wheel has gone and there is nappa leather. This must feel quite special to you and the team?
Carl Gotham: Absolutely. The Cyberster is kind of an elevated experience for us. It’s different to MGs of the past, for sure, but that’s because it represents a different era of motoring. We’re in the age of electrification now and everything is amplified. Its performance is crazy – this is the fastest MG production car ever made – so everything is designed to make it feel like a really special experience, to be honest.
And I think that has been the overriding feedback you get from everybody.
They’re sort of blown away by what it is, especially when you consider where the brand is and the price point we’re aiming for. It’s still an accessible sports car, albeit a little bit more expensive than previous MGs, but for what you’re getting it is pretty impressive.
CDN: You’ve been with SAIC since 2009. When you first joined, would you have ever imagined showing a two-seat roadster with scissor doors in Geneva?
CG: It was a project that I started when I took over the leadership of the UK studio, and for me personally, the Cyberster represents a real change for MG. Behind the scenes, I’m quietly confident with what we can achieve.
We’re surrounded by a talented team in the studio and there’s a lot of passion for what we do and what this brand can achieve. It’s been a long journey and trust me we’re not done yet.
CDN: To that point, what’s next?
CG: My main goal is to try and make sure the business is aware of what we can do to help it to achieve its best. And I think the wheels are definitely in motion. Our role in the UK is becoming much more significant again. There is confidence about what we’re doing and we’re just teetering around that top ten position. Hopefully we’ll get there; we have new products coming.
Our job is to inform where the brand is growing… whether cars come from our studio or we influence the team in China, we’ve done our job
CDN: One of those new products is the MG7 we’re in now, complete with quad tailpipes which feels nostalgic of the super-saloon trend of the recent past. We’d love to see it come to the UK…
CG: The market’s quite challenging for this kind of sedan or fastback configuration, particularly in UK. But without a doubt, a lot of people like this car. And every time we’ve shown this car and discussed it, the feedback is always positive. We’ll have to wait and see if it is viable to bring to the UK as a right and drive.
CDN: Was the design led in China, or did your studio have a hand in this?
CG: Not quite, although the DNA comes partly from what we were doing on the Cyberster and the MG4, which started in the London studio.
If you look at all three cars (Cyberster, 4 and 7) there is an emerging DNA – which carries into the new MG3 we revealed today as well. Our job now is to try and inform where the brand is growing, and whether those cars come from our studio or we influence the team in China, in both instances we’ve done our job.
CDN: You seem quite excited about projects that are coming down the line. What can you tell us?
CG: Yeah, I absolutely am. There are things going on at the moment that we’re really passionate about. With the world opening up again we’ve been able to strengthen our relationship with the very top level members of our business, to immerse them in some ideas that perhaps prior to 2020 would have been difficult to do. With our brand growing in Europe and the UK, it’s given us a platform to be a bit more vocal – more confident – about what we want in terms of design.
CDN: You certainly have a platform here in Geneva – it’s not a small stand by any means. What has the response been like?
CG: I’ve been in interviews all day, so that should give you an idea of the interest! There’s a lot of intrigue about where the brand’s growing and what’s coming next. It’s an exciting time.
CDN: And just a word on the Geneva show itself. I don’t think anyone expected it to return with quite the same sort of bang as it had pre-COVID, but how has it felt for you?
CG: If we were being honest, it’s a shadow of its former self which is a shame, as there should be more support for important shows like this. For us it’s significant because we’re a growing brand and need to be visible and out there – it’s certainly working as we are almost a headline act this year. It would be nice to think that the show can move forward. Let’s see what happens. And we’ve still got Beijing at the end of April which will be a huge show, so we’ll be out there for that as well.
