Who needs 1001 hp and 16 cylinders to hit crazy speeds when you can do it with just four cylinders and 300 hp? Meet the 1959 MG EX181, a high-speed test car that competes with the more modern Bugatti Veyron.
Back in the late 1950s, MG began chasing land speed records. It did just that with a modified version of the MGA’s twin cam engine. Starting with 68 hp, they hooked up a giant supercharger and pushed 32 psi of turbocharger down its throat, mixing a batch of 86% methanol with nitrobenzene, acetone and sulfur ether.
From there, the small 1.5-liter engine produces an impressive 300 hp (223 kW).
But it’s not just power output that makes this car so memorable. It all stems from the slippery profile. EX181 is based on a heavily modified MGA framework.
With the sleek silhouette achieved by narrowing the rear track width, its drag coefficient is just 0.12.
Those numbers might not really mean much but to give you a little insight, the most aerodynamic production car out there, the Mercedes-Benz EQS, can only manage a factor of 0.20.
With such low drag, the MG EX181 only needs 29 hp to reach 100 mph (161 km/h), demonstrating its distinctive aerodynamic design.
The remarkable record-setting run took place at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA, a site famous for land speed record attempts due to its wide flat surface. According to racer Phil Hill, who set a record of 409km/h (254mph), it didn’t even slow down much when releasing the throttle.
If you think this car looks familiar, it actually set two separate records in different classes.
The MG EX181, driven by Hill, has a slightly larger engine with a displacement of 1506cc, which classifies it for engines from 1501 to 2000cc.
The record for Class F, which includes engines under 1500cc, was set in 1957 by legendary racer Stirling Moss, who drove a similar MG EX181 with a 1500cc engine. In that historic run, Moss hit an impressive speed of 245mph (395km/h).
This little speed demon manages a staggering 1.35km/h (0.84mph) for every horsepower it produces, leaving modern supercars in the dust. For comparison, the Bugatti Veyron struggled with a speed of just 0.37km/h (0.23mph) per hp.
The MG EX181 is a testament to what can be achieved when your sole focus is on using all the power you have to go fast. Who needs big engines and big power when you have efficiency and great design on your side?
’59 MG EX181 proves that real speed is more than just muscle! To this day, the EX181 remains the fastest MG ever produced.
