In a celebration of cutting-edge design and rich automotive heritage, the MG EXE181 concept car has been awarded the coveted iF DESIGN AWARD for 2025 in the Concept Vehicle category. This bold electric vision, unveiled during MG’s centenary celebrations at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, captivated global audiences with its futuristic aesthetic and deep roots in the brand’s legacy of land speed record-breaking innovation.
The iF DESIGN AWARDS, one of the most prestigious global design competitions, saw over 11,000 submissions from nearly 70 countries this year—yet it was the extraordinary MG EXE181 that stood out. Conceived at SAIC Design Advanced London by Carl Gotham, Advanced Design Director, and his team, the EXE181 reimagines the glory days of MG’s daring pursuits on the Bonneville Salt Flats with an all-electric, aerodynamic silhouette for the future.
A Tribute to MG’s Roaring Raindrop
The EXE181 draws inspiration from the legendary EX181 of the late 1950s—a streamlined “roaring raindrop” that set land speed records under the hands of racing giants like Sir Stirling Moss and Phil Hill. Moss famously achieved 246 mph in 1957, with Hill pushing the record even further to 257 mph just two years later.
In honouring that legacy, Gotham and his team set out to create more than a nostalgic nod. They envisioned a sleek, single-seat electric land speed record car that not only paid tribute to MG’s trailblazing past but also hinted at its electric future. With a design led by efficiency, innovation, and aerodynamic purity, the EXE181’s presence is both futuristic and authentic—retaining design cues that unmistakably link it to the MG bloodline.
“We wanted to celebrate MG’s remarkable past as a daring and innovative sports car manufacturer that pushed boundaries,” says Gotham, “but with the extra and exciting brief to work with the most advanced materials and technology to visualise an all-electric MG land speed record car of the future.”
This design was not merely an exercise in aesthetics. Aerodynamic testing and a focus on purposeful design, including a streamlined, single-seater cockpit, give the EXE181 a sense of real-world potential—even if it remains a concept.
A Symbol of MG’s Next Chapter
The iF Design jury praised the EXE181 as a “study of style, innovation and efficiency,” and rightly so. It stands not just as a showpiece but as a powerful symbol of MG’s ambitions in the EV era. Like the MG Cyberster before it—another product of the same visionary design team—the EXE181 bridges heritage and future, crafting a compelling narrative for a reinvented brand.
Award-Winning Innovation Beyond the Bodywork
The celebration didn’t stop with exterior aesthetics. SAIC Motor, MG’s parent company, also took home an iF Design Award in the User Experience category for its Rising OS Intelligent Cockpit System Design. This advanced HMI (Human-Machine Interface) uses sophisticated algorithms to create a more personalised and intuitive in-car experience, offering a preview of smarter, safer, and more adaptable mobility.
With MG likely to benefit from this R&D breakthrough, the brand continues to show how design and innovation can intersect meaningfully, enhancing not only how a car looks—but how it connects with its driver.
Looking Forward
The MG EXE181 is far more than a concept—it’s a declaration. A statement that the next century of MG will be defined not only by where the brand has been, but where it’s boldly going. With honours like the iF DESIGN AWARD and a design philosophy rooted in both purpose and imagination, MG is accelerating toward a future as thrilling as its past.
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