The Car of the Year-winning Renault 5 and its Mini Cooper E rival have proved that affordable EVs can actually have personality, and now MG wants in on the action. The British-born, but Chinese-owned brand is coming to the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed with two concept cars, one of which previews a Renault 5 rival called the MG2 on sale in 2027.

Called the MG Go!, it’s a compact electric hatchback that takes inspiration from a diverse collection of past MGs, including the MGB GT and MG 6R4 Group B rally car. Another less famous but notable car MG’s press bumf namechecks is the 2000s ZR, which was massively popular with young drivers thanks to its fun chassis, tough styling and low insurance and running costs. No doubt the brand is hoping the 2 will do the same 25 years later.

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MG says the goal wasn’t to recreate the past but to borrow from it to build something with emotional appeal today. So while you can clearly see nods to the MGB GT in the face created by the grille outline and headlights, plus the shape of the C pillar, and the swollen fenders subtly tip a hat to the 6R4, the overall look is very modern, and hugely appealing.

The second MG concept coming to Goodwood heads in almost the opposite direction. The Cyber Concept imagines a large electric performance SUV flagship that’s definitely not aimed at young, cost-conscious drivers.

Ferrari SUV Vibes

It’s supposedly inspired partly by MG’s record-breaking EX181 streamliner from the late 1950s, although thankfully it doesn’t resemble an enormous silver torpedo. Instead, the swoopy, muscular Cyber Concept bears more than a passing resemblance to a Ferrari Purosangue, while the taillights might look familiar to Hyundai Tucson owners.

While the Go! is primed to return as a production model in two years, it sounds like the Cyber is much further away from the showroom, lacking even an interior at this stage. And even if it does translate to the street, an MG spokesman told Autocar it might not be offered in the UK.

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