British Steam Car Breaks Land Speed Record for Steam Vehicles

Good news for fans of exotic cars, at least the ones who are also enthusiastic about alternative energy!  The British Steam Car Challenge has succeeded in breaking the land speed record for steam vehicles.

The land speed record, which was set in 1906 by American driver Fred Marriott, was 127 miles per hour.  That record has been on the books for over 100 years, but now there’s a new record to beat.  On Tuesday, British Steam Car Challenge driver Charles Burnett III screamed around the course at speeds of up to 151 miles per hour.

(British Steam Challenge media photo. Used with permission.)

“It was absolutely fantastic,” said Burnett, who set the offshore water speed record in 1999.  “I enjoyed every moment of it.”

The British Steam Car Challenge, established in 1999, is designed to attract attention to steam as a power source and a viable alternative to fossil fuels.  The goal of the challenge was to create a vehicle that would set a new land speed record for steam, and that record was set on Tuesday.

“The car really did handle beautifully,” Burnett said.  “The team has worked extremely hard over the last 10 years and overcome numerous problems. It is a privilege to be involved with such a talented crew, what we have achieved today is a true testament to British engineering, good teamwork and perseverance.”

The car is a true engineering marvel.  It weighs in at three tons, and is made up of carbon-fiber, steel, and aluminum.  Its sleek, 25-foot-long chassis is a head-turner, and it boasts 12 boilers and almost two miles of tubing.

To power the car, steam is superheated to a temperature of 400 degrees Celsius.  The steam is then injected into the turbine of the car at a rate that is twice the speed of sound.

“This kind of technology is amazing,” said Ron Sturgeon, owner of a Ft Worth car storage business.  “It’s like going back and taking the other fork in the road with automobile propulsion.”

Exotic vehicles like Lamborghinis, Bentleys, and Porsches use internal combustion engines to create their power.  Gasoline engines have been criticized for producing too much carbon, but many exotic car drivers are reducing emission by joining exotic car sharing clubs.

Exotic car clubs give car fans access to an entire garage of exotic vehicles.  Because these clubs reduce the number of cars owned, they are considered a great economical and environmental alterative to owning an exotic vehicle.

While steam-powered engines may not be in the near future for many of us, exotic car rental and exotic car clubs are viable alternatives to exotic car ownership.

Kate Miller-Wilson is a professional freelance writer living in the Twin Cities. Visit her website or email her for information about her freelance writing services.