High-Speed History
Since the dawn of man, people have striven to be the fastest. When the automobile was invented, this desire only became stronger. One after another, drivers mounting new and improved vehicles sprung from the woodwork and fought tooth and nail to be the fastest person on Earth and hold the land speed record. This was the golden age of the wheel-driven automobile and these are the drivers that risked it all to hold the title.
High-Speed History infographicHigh Speed History: A History of Land Speed World Records in the Golden Age of Wheel -Driven Automobiles
| Car | MPH | Driver and (Country of Origin) | Location and Year | Power |
| Jeantaud Duc | 39.24 | Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat
(France) |
December, 1898
Achères, France |
Electric |
| Jeantaud Duc
|
57.65 | Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat
(France)
|
March, 1899
Achères, France |
Electric |
| La Jamais Contente | 65.79 | Camille Jenatzy
(Belgium) |
January, 1899
Achères, France |
Electric |
| Gardner-Serpollet Œuf de Pâques |
75.06 | Léon Serpollet
(France) |
April, 1902
Nice, France |
Steam |
| The Mors Machine | 76.08 | William K. Vanderbilt (USA) | August, 1902
St. Arnoult, France |
Internal Combustion |
| Ford 999 Racer | 91.37 | Henry Ford (USA) | January, 1904
Lake St. Clair, United States |
Internal Combustion |
| Stanley Rocket | 127.66 | Fred Marriot (USA) | January, 1906
Ormond Beach, United States |
Steam |
| Fiat Mephistofele | 145.89 | Ernest Eldridge (United Kingdom) | July, 1924
Arpajon, France |
Internal Combustion |
| Sunbeam 350HP Blue Bird | 146.16 | Malcolm Campbell (United Kingdom) | September, 1924
Pendine, United Kingdom |
Internal Combustion |
| Sunbeam 350HP Blue Bird | 150.87 | Malcolm Campbell (United Kingdom) | July, 1925
Pendine, United Kingdom |
Internal Combustion |
| Babs | 170 | Parry Thomas (United Kingdom) | April, 1926
Pendine, United Kingdom |
Internal Combustion |
| Napier-Campbell Blue Bird II | 174.88 | Malcolm Campbell (United Kingdom) | February, 1927
Pendine, United Kingdom |
Internal Combustion |
| Sunbeam 1000HP Mystery | 203.79 | Henry Seagrave (United Kingdom) | March, 1927
Daytona Beach, United States |
Internal Combustion |
| Napier-Campbell Blue Bird III | 206.96 | Malcolm Campbell (United Kingdom) | February, 1928
Daytona Beach, United States
|
Internal Combustion |
| White Triplex | 207.552 | Ray Keech (USA) | April, 1928
Daytona Beach, United States |
Internal Combustion |
| Golden Arrow | 231.45 | Henry Segrave (United Kingdom) | March, 1929
Daytona Beach, United States |
Internal Combustion |
| Campbell-Napier-Railton Blue Bird IV | 246.09 | Malcolm Campbell (United Kingdom) | February, 1931
Verneuk Pan, South Africa |
Internal Combustion |
| Campbell-Napier-Railton Blue Bird IV | 253.97 | Malcolm Campbell (United Kingdom) | February, 1932
Daytona Beach, United States |
Internal Combustion |
| Campbell-Railton Blue Bird V | 272.46 | Malcolm Campbell (United Kingdom) | February, 1933
Daytona Beach, United States |
Internal Combustion |
| Campbell-Railton Blue Bird V | 276.82 | Malcolm Campbell (United Kingdom) | March, 1935
Daytona Beach, United States |
Internal Combustion |
| Campbell-Railton Blue Bird V | 301.13 | Malcolm Campbell (United Kingdom) | September, 1935
Bonneville Salt Flats, United States |
Internal Combustion |
| Thunderbolt | 311.42 | George Eyston (United Kingdom) | November, 1937
Bonneville Salt Flats, United States |
Internal Combustion |
| Thunderbolt | 345.49 | George Eyston (United Kingdom) | August, 1938
Bonneville Salt Flats, United States |
Internal Combustion |
| Railton Special | 350.20 | John Cobb (United Kingdom) | September, 1938
Bonneville Salt Flats, United States |
Internal Combustion |
| Thunderbolt | 357.50 | George Eyston (United Kingdom) | September, 1938
Bonneville Salt Flats, United States |
Internal Combustion |
| Railton Special | 369.74 | John Cobb (United Kingdom) | August, 1939
Bonneville Salt Flats, United States |
Internal Combustion |
| Railton Mobil Special | 394.20 | John Cobb (United Kingdom) | September, 1947
Bonneville Salt Flats, United States |
Internal Combustion |
| Bluebird CN7 | 403.10 | Donald Campbell (United Kingdom) | July, 1964
Lake, Eyre, Australia |
Turboshaft |
| Goldenrod | 409.28 | Bob Summers (United States) | November, 1965
Bonneville Salt Flats, United States |
Internal Combustion |
