Speed

Land speed records

From 39 mph in an electric car to faster than the speed of sound.

For a World Land Speed Record, a car must run through a measured mile and back within an hour. The record is the average of the two runs. National Motor Museum: Record Breakers

Bar chart of eleven speed records in miles per hour: 39 in 1898, 128 in 1906, 129 in 1922, 146 in 1924, 151 in 1925, over 200 in 1927, 231 in 1929, over 400 in 1964, 622 in 1970, 633 in 1983 and 763 in 1997 — Our chart of eleven land speed records, 1898 to 1997.Drawing: our own

Every record on this site

1898 First land speed record (Jeantaud electric): 39.24 mph. The first land speed record was set in 1898 by Chasseloup-Laubat in a Jeantaud electric car, at 39.24 mph. National Motor Museum: Record Breakers
1899 La Jamais Contente: over 100 km/h (60 mph). The first car to go faster than 100 km/h (60 mph) was an electric one: Camille Jenatzy’s La Jamais Contente, in 1899. Encyclopaedia Britannica: History of the automobile
1906 Stanley steam car record: 127.66 mph. In 1906 a Stanley steam car set the world speed record at 127.66 miles per hour (205.45 km/h). Encyclopaedia Britannica: History of the automobile
1922 350hp Sunbeam record: 129.171 mph. The 350hp Sunbeam, first raced at Brooklands in 1920, took Kenelm Lee Guinness to a world record of 129.171 mph two years later. National Motor Museum: Record Breakers
1924 Malcolm Campbell at Pendine: 146.16 mph. Malcolm Campbell set records of 146.16 mph in 1924 and 150.766 mph in 1925 at Pendine Sands. National Motor Museum: Record Breakers
1925 Malcolm Campbell at Pendine: 150.766 mph. Malcolm Campbell set records of 146.16 mph in 1924 and 150.766 mph in 1925 at Pendine Sands. National Motor Museum: Record Breakers
1927 Segrave’s 1000hp Sunbeam: over 200 mph. In 1927 Henry Segrave’s 1000hp Sunbeam became the first car to officially go faster than 200 mph, at Daytona Beach. National Motor Museum: Record Breakers
1929 Golden Arrow: 231.362 mph. In 1929 Segrave set a record of 231.362 mph at Daytona in the Golden Arrow. National Motor Museum: Record Breakers
1964 Donald Campbell’s Bluebird: over 400 mph. In 1964 Donald Campbell drove the jet-powered Bluebird past 400 mph at Lake Eyre in South Australia. National Motor Museum: Record Breakers
1970 Blue Flame: 622.407 mph. In 1970 Gary Gabelich drove the rocket-powered Blue Flame to 622.407 mph. National Motor Museum: Record Breakers
1983 Thrust 2: 633.468 mph. In 1983 Richard Noble’s Thrust 2 won the record back for Britain at 633.468 mph. National Motor Museum: Record Breakers
1997 Thrust SCC: 763.035 mph. In 1997 Andy Green drove Thrust SCC through the sound barrier at 763.035 mph. National Motor Museum: Record Breakers

Record attempts moved to long beaches and salt flats, such as Pendine Sands in Wales, Daytona Beach in Florida and the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. National Motor Museum: Record Breakers

A black-and-white photograph of a racing driver in a narrow open racing car on a cobbled road — Kenelm Lee Guinness at the 1922 French Grand Prix.Picture: Agence Rol, Public domain, Commons

Several famous record cars, including the 1920 and 1927 Sunbeams, the 1929 Golden Arrow and the 1960 Bluebird, are at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu. National Motor Museum: Record Breakers

The Isle of Man

Racing on British public roads was forbidden, so in February 1904 Sir Julian Orde of the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland went to the Isle of Man, which passed the Highways (Light Locomotive) Act 1904. Isle of Man TT Races: History

The Act allowed the 52.15-mile “Highlands” course on the Isle of Man for the 1905 Gordon Bennett car trial. Isle of Man TT Races: History

The first Isle of Man Tourist Trophy (TT) race was held in 1907. Isle of Man TT Races: History

Try the Speed Through Time game to compare them all.

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