Is the eighties MG Metro Turbo making a comeback? Electric hot hatch rival to the Renault 5 confirmed for 2027

Could MG’s iconic hot hatch of the Eighties be making a dramatic return as an EV?

That’s the talk of the Goodwood Festival of Speed on Thursday as the British marque – now under Chinese ownership – unveiled its latest concept car.

The Go is a boxy, retro supermini that takes inspiration from the MG Metro Turbo – the model that essentially spawned the terrifyingly fast Metro 6R4 Group B rally car.

The manufacturer says it is a ‘contemporary nod to sporting MGs that have come before’, which includes the Metro Turbo, MGB GT of the sixties and the early-Noughties MG ZR.

Powered by an electric drivetrain and evoking the squared-off styling of a 1980s hot hatchback, it looks primed to be a rival to the Renault 5 and forthcoming Peugeot e-208 GTI.

MG says the production-ready version will arrive next year and will ‘showcase a mix of its sporty roots with the latest EV technology’.

Having witnessed the monumental success of the Renault 5’s electric rebirth, which has made it one of the most desirable EVs on the road today, MG is eager to follow a similar recipe and lean heavily on its own hot hatch heritage.

It says the showroom version of the Go, coming next year, will ‘bring genuine aspiration and desirability to the electric mainstream’ using a ‘clever mix of retro-futuristic design inspired by MG’s most elegant and expressive models from the mid-20th century’.

While details of the car’s performance, price and specification remain very thin on the ground, the company says the production model on which the concept is based has been designed entirely by its team in London, led by design director Carl Gotham – the man who penned the impressive MG Cyberster EV roadster, which itself is a modern twist on the MGB.

‘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,’ Gotham explained.

‘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.’

Measuring around four metres long, the compact electric hatchback is, dimensionally, very similar to the Renault 5.

Its aggressively broad wheel arches, prominent body kit, enormous wheels, ducktail spoiler and low-slung front splitter tick all the right hot hatch boxes.

And executives say it is a ‘close look’ at how the production model will appear when the covers come off the showroom car in around 12 months’ time.

Following in the Renault 5’s tyre tracks – essentially recreating an iconic hot hatch from the past for the electric era – would be an astute move.

The French marque has sold around 15,000 examples in the UK since it went on sale last January. And most of its customers are private buyers rather than fleet registrations, which dominate the EV market.

The biggest reasons for its popularity are its looks and driving characteristics, which are purposely designed to mirror those of the 1980s hot hatch original.

And the MG Metro Turbo – sold during a similar period, between 1982 and 1990 – is a worthy canvas for the Chinese manufacturer to use.

It is considered one of Britain’s pioneering hot hatches, combining compact dimensions with turbocharged performance.

Powered by a 1,275cc A-Series engine with a Garrett T3 turbocharger bolted on, it produced 93bhp and could reach 60mph from a standstill in under 10 seconds.

Its distinctive body kit, alloy wheels and bold decals helped it stand out, while Hydragas suspension delivered sharp handling that earned it credible status during the intensely contested performance-car boom of the 1980s.

Just shy of 22,000 examples of the Metro Turbo were built during its eight-year production run.

Sadly, rust means few survive today, with DVLA records suggesting just 33 are registered for road use. Around another 200 are on SORN, though how roadworthy they are is another question.

The Go debuted at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on Thursday alongside another MG concept, a plush SUV called the MG Cyber.