A Brief History
On December 18, 1898, French race car driver Gaston de Chassaloup-Laubat set the first recognized World Record for Land Speed at an unimpressive 63.13 kilometers per hour (39.25 mph). (Note: For Land Speed Record we are referring to human steered vehicles powered by a motor of some type, and not considering bicycles or horseback riding.)
Digging Deeper
Gaston was driving a Jeantaud electric car for his record run, and at that time when automobiles were in their infancy it was not yet clear which means of propulsion would become preeminent, whether gasoline, electric, steam or diesel powered motors.
Over the next couple years Gaston and his arch rival Camille Janatzy would trade the record status back and forth in an ever increasing raising of the bar. When Janatzy set a new record in 1899 as the first man to drive a car over 100 kph (62 mph) the record stood for a whopping 3 years (105 kph/65 mph). Also in 1899, “Mile a Minute” Murphy rode a human powered bicycle over a 1 mile course in 57 seconds, over 60mph! (The current bicycle speed record is 167 mph.)
The record setting Jeantaud electric car was a chain drive primitive affair that produced only 36 horsepower. Steering was done with a vertical stick that was attached to history‘s first known steering wheel, when other cars were steered with a tiller. The car was rebuilt and won back the land speed record 2 more times, for a distinguished career of having set the Land Speed Record 3 times in all. In fact, the first 5 times the record was set it would be in electric cars, before steam powered cars eclipsed the electrics and finally gasoline powered cars became king of the hill.
The record attempt would first come to the United States in 1904 when Henry Ford drove one of his early creations to the record setting performance, this time on frozen Lake St. Clair near Detroit. By 1927, almost every Land Speed World Record set was accomplished in the United States, though not always by Americans. The current record is held by the Thrust SSC, a jet powered car, at a supersonic 763 mph, set in 1997. (Note: The Ford 999 was powered by an 18.9 liter/ 1150 cubic inch 4 cylinder engine!)
Question for students (and subscribers): What is the fastest you have ever driven a car? The fastest you have ever been in a car driven by someone else? Feel free to share your high speed stories in the comments section below this article.
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Clarke, R.M. The Land Speed Record 1898-1919. Brooklands Books Ltd, 2000.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="12456 https://www.historyandheadlines.com/?p=12456">26 Comments
It is certainly eye-opening to read about how the first record was 39.25 mph and how the newest record is 763 mph. It is even more shocking to realize that this improvement was only made over 100 years. Technology is such an impressive feat for many different fields, definitely including the car industry.
This article just goes to show how much we have improved with how fast our auto mobiles can run. It would be a shock to us all now if we were riding in cars in the beginning of the 20th century because we are all used to driving at 60MPH but they did not even go over 40MPH. I was surprised to find out that the current biking record is 167 MPH. I would even be scared to get in a car at that speed so I can not imagine riding a bike that fast.
It is crazy to see the difference from what the record used to be and what it is now. I’m a pretty slow driver so I think the fastest I have ever driven was 80-85 mph. When I was in grade school one of my friend’s dad took us in his car and drove down a side street at around 120 mph. Probably not the smartest decision, but it was a thrilling experience to say the least.
The speed records set years ago are average speed limits today in the United States. It makes you wonder if someday 763 mph will not seem fast and just be an average driving speed. The fastest I have gone in a car is around 100 mph and that seemed fast, so I cannot imagine going for a world record time!
Technology allows for so many amazing advancements. It is odd to me that the record most recently set was from almost 20 years ago. Has anyone tried to break that record since and if so why haven’t they been able to?
Car speeds can be so scary but so thrilling at the same time! Speed has saved us so much time. It is so interesting reading that the first speed record was only 39.25 mph and comparing that to the most recent record of 763 mph. I wonder what how fast cars will get in the future and if with that the speed limits will increase as well.
I never realized today’s bikes could reach speeds of 167 mph. Also it is funny because I feel like back then it was so amazing to reach the 60’s with your car but now it is super easy just to reach 80-90 mph.
I sometimes reach 90mph on the turnpike when I am not paying attention to my speedometer. I cannot believe that at one time the land speed record was only 39.25 mph. That is so slow! I also cannot believe that the new land speed record is 763 mph. I feel like a body would explode traveling that fast.
The article mentioned that when the first land speed record was made it was not yet clear which type of engine would win out. Imagine how different the world would be if electric engines had been successful instead of gas. We would probably have so much less pollution in the air. It’s funny the first record was only around 37 mph.
37 mph to 763 mph… How how times changed in 100 years. The use of electric cars 100 years ago is huge for Telsa who strives to make luxury electric cars in todays car market. History continues to surprise me and I cannot wait to see what happens 60 years from now.
Electric engines were where cars started. They processed to a steam engine and then to the ever present gasoline run engine. Although no electric engines went as fast as some people can go today they got up to 65 mph. Electric cars are what started the industry and many companies have tried to return to that over the past couple years.
I never realized that electric engines are something of the past! What made them chose gasoline over electric for majority of cars back then? Our world would be so different if we’d chosen the electric option!
What happened in the article regarding record breaking is a repeated pattern throughout history. Once one person proves that a record can be broken, it motivates other people to take a chance at the same record. This competition, as seen in this article, is the root of all innovation and advancement. It is shocking that the 1997 record stands to this day.
It is interesting that the first car to go the fastest was at a speed of sixty-two mph. Today that is almost average for many people to go in different locations.
It’s interesting to see that the first land speed record ever was in an electric car, and now today, the electric car is slowly making its way back into the market. It’s crazy that the record went from 39 mph and the record now of 763 mph. Goes to show you the huge steps we’ve made in the market of cars.
It is amazing that the top speed went from 39 back then to 763 mph now. What difference! I think it is cool that electric cars are starting to come back around and I never knew that they were a thing back then. The fastest I have ever gone in a car was around 120 mph, in my neighbors sports car. I was pretty scared going that fast, I cannot even imagine what going 763 mph feels like!
Records are meant to be broken and the land speed record is no exception. Both Europeans and Americans alike have competed for the land speed record. I wonder if anyone will break the current record of 763 mph?
I wonder if Gaston was nervous if he would die or crash when he first set the record at 39 mph. I mean no one went that speed before so it had to be a completely new experience. And I wonder what his reaction would be to the 763 mph for today. Incredible how someone can go that fast in just a car.
I never knew electric cars were around in the past. I wonder what life would be like if electric engines were successful and gas engines were not created. It is crazy that the first record only produced 39.25 mph whereas the current record is held at 763 mph. What an amazing advancement over the last 100 years in regards to the speed of cars.
The fact that the first record of land speed was set by an electric car is ironic. For a while electric cars were not prominent throughout the industry. It was not until a few years ago that electric cars started to become popular. It seems as if we are revisiting history!
I am so impressed with the 40 mph speed of this old day car! Obviously times have changed and cars can go an incredible mph (unsafe by the way), but 40 in that metal box is crazy!
I wish they had done more research and work with electric engines since they are so prevalent today. I wonder if the suppression of their capabilities was done on purpose because we struck oil and knew we could turn it into profit.
This had to have been the coolest thing back then, very impressed but am glad I live in the world with the cars we have around us today.
I wonder how different our world would be had electric motors been become mainstream instead of gasoline-powered ones. I never realized electric motor technology was so old! In my opinion, the oil boom of the 20th century brought many bad changes to our world. Just look at how oil has helped fill the pockets of corrupt countries like Venezuela and Iran.
Thanks to these early auto pioneers and their competitive spirit, the automobile continued to evolve and become a better product. I would love for Henry Ford to see the cars that his company produces today.
If it was not for people like this, our automobiles we have today would not be around. Inventions, tests and ideas like these help evolve our technology.