What was the MG EX-E?

The MG EX-E was a concept car developed by Austin Rover and first unveiled in 1985. Promoted under the slogan "The concept car thats too exciting to keep secret" it was hailed as a research test bed for future Austin Rover projects.

It was decreed by Austin Rover's Managing Director for Product Development, Mark Snowdon, that the MG EX-E would be a possible basis for a future competition car and that the possibility for some form of future production should not be excluded. At the time the car was built, however, no consideration was given to future production plans. Part of this mantle was handed to Roy Axe, Director for Design, who passed it on to the talented Gordon Sked. Working with Gordon was the newly arrived Gerry McGovern, who later went on to head the team on the Rover 220 Coupe and the MGF

The name of the car represented a linear progression through the classic MG lineage of two seater sports cars starting from the 'A'. The prefix EX- being appended to denote the experimental nature of the design.

Engineering

Underneath the stunning body of the EX-E lay the heart of the Group B MG Metro 6R4 rally car. In race tune this 24v 3.0 l V6 engine produced 410 bhp: de-tuned for road use an output of some 250bhp was predicted. Computer simulation at the time predicted a 0-60 MPH time of under 5 seconds for the EX-E with a top speed around 170 MPH.

To compliment this power unit came the 4 wheel drive transmission system of the 6R4. A central viscous coupling differential was used to feed limited slip differentials at front and rear. The whole system was modified from the rally car to account for the low stance of the EX-E.

An all round double wishbone suspension system was used with lower wishbones operating coil spring/damper struts. Braking was provided by ventilated disks all round and anti-lock systems were provided for the prototype. Plans were included for driver selectable damper control and various advanced suspension engineering studies were carried out.

In the field of body structure the design was leading edge for the time. The EX-E was built around an adhesive-bonded, high strength aluminium alloy frame and clad in a skin of lightweight non-metal panels. The modular design would allow the separate construction of mechanical and passenger modules with final assembly being a matter of combining 3 major units. The aerodynamics of the body were meticulously tuned for an advantageous combination of low drag (0.24Cd) and downforce.

Interior

The "space age" theme of the EX-E's exterior was carried through to the passenger compartment with gusto. Engineering studies at the time gave the car a distinct "aero-space" feel with digital instruments and diagnostic read outs. These speculative studies also came up with credit card operated door locks; the same card, in conjunction with the inevitable central computer, would also adjust the seats, the exterior mirrors and the air-conditioning. The literature released at the time of the car's display also talked about a rain sensitive windscreen automatically controlling the wipers and an automatically dimming rear view mirror. It is interesting to note that the only production car (as of Feb 1996) to include a rain sensitive windscreen is a Mercedes.

Even further down the dream list was an "intelligent" heads up display system that would show context sensitive information. The system would normally provide a full time display but under special circumstances would switch to emphasising particular diagnostic information. One example given was for the unit to switch to displaying only a tachometer whilst under heavy acceleration allowing the driver to concentrate on the road ahead whilst monitoring the engine's rev. limit.

What happened?

It is possible to say that the resemblance between the MGF and the EX-E allows the EX-E to live on in a way that many concept cars do not. In the exact configuration laid out here the EX-E would never have been a viable production model. If it has a closer living descendant than the MGF some would say it was the Lotus Elise, with its aluminium subframe assembly, but not even that can offer a 4 WD system and a V6 engine in such a small package. If one is to look further afield for children of the EX-E, it is possible to find them. The designer of the MGF, Gerry McGovern, when asked about critics who thought the MGF was "too Japanese", said:

Since 1985 the demise of the MG name has been oft predicted. It is only with the release of the MGF that the glorious future alluded to by the EX-E has been fully realised.

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