The 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed is getting a boost of fanfare from the storied British car brand MG, which has introduced two new electric concept cars at the annual automotive event in West Sussex, UK, from July 9 to 12. The unveiling of the new hatchback and SUV concepts is a preview of future MG models designed to showcase a mix of its sporty roots with modern EV technology from the SAIC brand.
MG says its GO! concept car is not only a glimpse of a future new B-segment electric hatchback but also a promise of bringing genuine aspiration and desirability to the electric mainstream. It features a mix of retro futuristic design inspired by MG’s mid-20th century models like the iconic MGB GT and gives a contemporary nod to sporting MGs like the MG Metro Turbo, MG ZR, and MG EX4.
The concept, along with the forthcoming production version, which is scheduled for 2027, have been designed by the team at MG Design Center in London, led by Design Director, Carl Gotham. The company said its intention was never to create a nostalgic showpiece, but something contemporary and relevant: a compact car with genuine emotional appeal, conceived to stand apart in a highly competitive segment as poised, playful, and immediately engaging.
“With MG GO!, we wanted to create something compact and contemporary, but also warm, expressive, and immediately likeable, an embodiment of all that we admire about the MG brand,” said Gotham. “It is not about looking back for its own sake, but about capturing some of the clarity, charm, and emotional appeal that have always made MG so distinctive, and reinterpreting that in a way that feels relevant today and crucially creating something with strong charisma.”
The second new concept is a more dramatic step for MG. Conceived as a flagship expression of the brand, the Cyber Concept previews a future model in the large D-segment SUV category. According to the company, it draws inspiration from two defining chapters in MG’s history: the legendary EX181 land speed record car and the spirit of innovation and reinvention that continues to shape MG today.
Through the Cyber Concept, MG said it sought to unite everyday usability with genuine driving enjoyment, creating a vehicle equally suited to urban environments, long distance journeys, and engaging roads.
Its design features powerful proportions, a confident stance, and carefully sculpted surfaces that communicate athleticism and sophistication, according to MG. The company said that every element of the electric SUV has been shaped to express movement and energy, creating a strong sense of presence whether the vehicle is in motion or at rest.
“Great design begins with people, not products,” said Jozef Kabaň, MG’s Vice President of Global Design. “Technology and innovation are essential, but they can be shared; character cannot. The future of automotive design is about creating cars with a strong identity that people instantly recognize and emotionally connect with. Great design should spark curiosity, excitement, and desire. It should make people stop, smile, and want to discover more. Our MG concepts express this vision for the future of the brand.”
At the large MG Goodwood exhibit dubbed the Future Motion Show, the company said it is looking to the future and demonstrating MG’s technical competence in AI, intelligent driving using sensors such as cameras and lidar, plus connectivity demonstrated in performances by state-of-the-art robots.
The brand is also showcasing six models from its growing range of low cost but advanced plug-in hybrid (PHEV), Hybrid+, and electric vehicles. The lineup includes two all-new models launched in 2026—the MGS9 and the MG4 EV Urban.
The MGS9 PHEV is the first seven-seat large SUV from the brand and offers a spacious and versatile interior. When the third-row seats are folded away, leaving five seats, there is still a generous 1026 L (36 ft³) of cargo space.
It is based on an extended version of the platform used for the MG HS, with engineers stretching the wheelbase and raising the roofline to fit a third row of seats. Some sources note that the vehicle shares its fundamental architecture with the Chinese-market Roewe RX9.
Its plug-in hybrid powertrain combines a 1.5-L turbo gasoline engine and a long-range 24.7-kW·h battery with an electric-only range of up to 62 mi (100 km).
Two trim levels, Comfort and Premium, each provide an extensive list of luxury features as standard, with on-the-road prices from £34,205 and £36,945, respectively.
The new MG4 EV Urban is meant to reconfirm the brand’s ability to make EV ownership even more accessible, offering a family sized electric available from just £23,495, said David Allison, MG UK’s Director of Product and Planning, earlier this year.
Using MG’s new front-wheel-drive E3 platform, battery choices are a 43-kW·h Standard Range (Comfort only) and a 54-kW·h Long Range battery (Comfort and Premium). The Long Range battery combined with a highly-efficient thermal management system with a heat pump and lightweight body structure, delivers up to 258 mi (415 km) of electric driving range, meaning the MG4 EV Urban can comfortably travel well beyond the city streets.
Using rapid public charging, the 43-kW·h battery can achieve a 10-80% charge in 28 min, and the larger 54-kW·h battery in 30 min.
Also on display at Goodwood is the HS Plug-in Hybrid; IM5, which made its Goodwood debut last year; the ZS Hybrid+ SUV; and the Cyberster all-electric roadster.
From MG’s London design studio, the Cyberster has distinctive design features such as electric scissor doors and an interior with wraparound cockpit screens. A 77-kW·h battery produces a 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time of just 5 s and a WLTP Combined range of 316 mi (509 km) for the 250-kW single-motor model. The dual-motor all-wheel drive GT version with 375 kW reaches 0 to 62 mph in 3.2 s. Prices start from just £55,245.
Kevin Jost contributed to this article.
