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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThe MG EX181 was a streamlined, MGA-based land-speed record car—not a modern hypercar concept. At Bonneville, MG reports that Stirling Moss reached 245.64 mph in 1957, then Phil Hill set further records in 1959, including 254.91 mph over the kilometre. The later electric EXE181 is a design concept inspired by the original, not a production car or a vehicle that made those runs.
What was the MG EX181?
MG built the EX181 around the MGA for land-speed record attempts at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Its nickname was the “Roaring Raindrop,” a reference to its enclosed, streamlined shape. MG’s centenary history recounts the car’s record runs and MGA basis in its history of MG.
The EX181’s purpose was to pursue speed records on a measured course, not to preview a road-going production model. MG describes its engine as a 1.5-litre MGA Twin Cam fitted with a Shorrock supercharger and twin SU carburettors, capable of 290 bhp at 7,300 rpm. Those specifications are MG’s published account, rather than an independently verified measurement in the sources cited here. MG’s Goodwood centenary account gives the engine details.
How fast did the EX181 go?
MG reports two notable Bonneville campaigns: Moss’s 1957 run and Hill’s 1959 records. The 1959 figures refer to different course distances, so they should not be treated as interchangeable speeds for the same measurement.
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| Year and driver | Course measurement | Speed reported by MG |
|---|---|---|
| 1957 — Stirling Moss | Bonneville run; the cited MG history does not specify a distance category for this figure | 245.64 mph (395.31 km/h) |
| October 3, 1959 — Phil Hill | Kilometre | 254.91 mph |
| October 3, 1959 — Phil Hill | Mile | 254.53 mph |
MG’s UK history reports Moss’s 1957 speed, while MG Motor Europe’s history also gives the metric equivalent. MG Heritage dates Hill’s attempt to October 3, 1959, says he achieved six new records, and separates the kilometre and mile results in its Bonneville account. These are manufacturer-reported figures; the cited sources do not provide a separate independent measurement record.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How is the EXE181 related to the EX181?
The EXE181 is a later MG design study that pays tribute to the EX181 and imagines an electric land-speed-record challenger. The shared naming and visual lineage connect the two, but the EXE181 is not the car that ran at Bonneville in 1957 or 1959. MG presents it as a concept, not a production model or a completed record attempt.
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MG says the concept was developed by Carl Gotham, Advanced Design Director at SAIC Design Advanced London, and colleagues at the London Advanced Design Studio. It also reported that the EXE181 won the 2025 iF Design Award in the Concept Vehicle category. Those details appear in MG’s award announcement.
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