How Fast Can a Car Go?

Since the early days of the automobile, when cars could only travel at moderate speeds, the goal of producing faster cars has motivated a great deal of automotive technology. Today's fastest cars come from several categories, but the top allowable speed of a car may also be determined by external factors.

The Land Speed Record

The fastest cars of all are those that compete for the land speed record. A French body known as the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, or FIA, certifies vehicles for competition and verifies results. Shortly after the turn of the twentieth century cars began surpassing the 100-mile-per-hour benchmark. Through the 1950s and 1960s, land speed cars topped 500 miles per hour. Today, the land speed record belongs to a British-designed car known as the Thrust SSC, which achieved a top speed of 766.609 miles per hour.

Production Cars

Another class of cars that compete for the title of fastest car are production cars, which must be produced in sufficient numbers and sold to the general public to qualify. Currently, the fastest production car is the SSC Ultimate Areo, which has been certified by the Guinness Book of Records as being able to do 257 miles per hour. Prior to the SSC Ultimate Aero, the fastest production car was the Bugatti Veyron, which has been produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 2005. The Veyron can do 253 miles per hour and costs around $1.7 million, making it the most expensive production car.

Race Cars

Race cars vary widely in terms of their top speed due to different restrictions on their mechanics and the types of tracks they are raced on. Formula 1 racing boasts some of the fastest racers, and an F1 car by Japanese automaker Honda set a record of 246.983 miles per hour when tested off the track. In actual racing scenarios, both F1 and NASCAR stock cars may surpass the 200 miles per hour barrier on occasion but speeds much in excess of 200 mph are uncommon.

Speed Limits

Of course, the fastest speed a car's engine and mechanics can produce is not necessarily the fastest allowable speed. Speed limits on most major roads establish a safe speed for all drivers to remain below. Certain cars feature speedometers that may max out at 85 or 110 miles per hour, further discouraging speeding. Other factors, such as road conditions, weather, and the quality of a car's tires are as much a factor in determining how fast the car in question can go in practice as anything else.

Governors

There are also certain instances of mechanical or electronic systems used to limit a car's top speed. Restrictor plates are a controversial feature of the stock car circuit, cutting down on the power of engines (and thus top speed) in an attempt to promote safety and more competitive balance. Some sports cars feature electronically limited speeds, which allow them to be sold for road use and reduce a driver's insurance costs. When such cars are modified for racing, the electronic speed limiting components may be the first thing removed.

References

• Landspeed History
• Fastest Cars in the World
• Honda Sets Land Speed Record

Resources

• World's Fastest Cars