SCIENTISTS in Oxfordshire are backing a bid by the fastest man on earth Andy Green to set a new MG sports car land speed record this week.

RAF Tornado pilot Green, who reached 763.035mph in the Thrust SSC car last year, will attempt to beat the long established MG records of 245.64mph set by Stirling Moss in 1957 and 254.91mph by Phil Hill in the EX181 in 1959.

The attempt is being made at the 50th Bonneville Speedweek festivities in Utah, USA.

Scientists from Harwell-based AEA Technology Race Engineering have been working with MG Cars to provide coatings which will protect the vehicle from the heat created by its own exhaust. Racing cars can suffer a reduction in power if the temperature of the air taken into the engine is increased by heat radiated from the exhaust system.

AEA Technology has coated the exhaust and carbon fibre body shell of the MG with a thermal barrier coating designed to reduce heat transfer.

Where the exhaust system passes close to the carbon fibre body shell, coatings were applied to reduce the risk of degradation by the intense heat and even protect against the risk of fire. AEA Technology Race Engineering sales manager Jim Hey said: "MG represents all that is best about British engineering and that is why we are pleased to work with them. to make this historic attempt on Phil Hill's record." The company has been working with leading Formula One, World Rally, Touring Car and GT teams for the last five years, providing and developing solutions in the areas of thermal management, friction management and weight reduction.

To accomplish a speed in excess of 255mph, the EX255 needs a power unit capable of producing over 900 horsepower.

The V8 engine originally specified in the Abingdon-built MGB V8, and more recently in the Cowley-built MG RV8, was chosen, then modified and highly tuned using twin supercharging, to propel EX255 to 255mph plus.

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