Buoyed by the continued success of EX135, MG’s next speed record car was EX179, piloted by George Eyston and Ken Miles. It broke both endurance and sprint records.

The car used a spare chassis frame from the MGA project and was completed with a body based on EX135. It was driven by Eyston and Miles on the Utah salt flats in August 1954, taking the 12-hour endurance record at speeds up to 121 mph, and completing the 10-mile sprint with a record 153.69 mph.

Both Eyston and Miles returned to Utah with EX179 in 1956, but this time Eyston was in a managerial position on the sidelines and Miles was joined by driver Johnny Lockett. The car was also fitted with a 1489cc prototype MGA twin-cam engine and the driving position switched to the right to accomodate the new exhaust. Previous records were substantially improved; the 12-hour record was raised to 141.71 mph and the 10-mile sprint to 170.15 mph.

The car continued to break records with different engines until 1959 when it put in its final appearance breaking fifteen class records with a supercharged 948cc engine, re-branded as the Austin-Healey EX219 in honour of the new Sprite.