With the launch of the MG4 last week, MG openly mentioned that its high-performance XPower version (see Gallery below) will arrive later this year, reminding us that its colour is based on the MG EX181. The what? Exactly! So, let The Good Oil walk us down history lane of aerodynamics and performance.
Built for speed, specifically Speed Week at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, MG built the EX181 and hired the fast-then, legendary now, and very young 28yo Stirling Moss to drive it in 1957, in an attempt to set the speed record for a flying mile.
Using a mid-mounted supercharged twin-cam 1.5-litre for the Class F speed record (between 1.1 and 1.5-litres), the engine made 216kW (290hp) at 7300rpm running 32psi boost, on a mix of methanol and nitrobenzine, acetone and sulphuric ether. Sounds delicious!
Just as importantly, the aerodynamics were slippery, helping earn its nickname of the Roaring Raindrop, using a superbly aero-efficient shape for a coefficient of drag around 0.12. For comparison, the lowest road car is the Mercedes-Benz EQS, with 0.20, and many road cars are typically around 0.30Cd.
With record runs made in two opposite directions, the EX181 racked up five world and five American records on its way to a scorching 394km/h, smashing the previous record of 327km/h.
Two years later, MG returned with Phil Hill driving, and with 10hp more, upped the ante to 410km/h.
Oh, and the colour: in the MG4 XPower it's called Hunter Green Satin, and it's inspired by the EX181, which now lives in the British Motor Museum.
