This custom-built racer just smashed the world record for acceleration
Published on Sep 14, 2023 at 1:37 PM (UTC+4)
by Adam Gray
Last updated on Sep 15, 2023 at 12:49 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
If you thought the McMurty Automotive Spérling was fast, just wait ‘til you see how rapid this custom-built racer is.
The car, built by students from ETH Zurich and the University of Lucerne, can hit 100 km/h (62 mph) from a standstill in less than a second.
0.956 seconds, to be precise.
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How on earth is it capable of going that fast?
Well, its four electric motors belt out 322 bhp, but what will really blow your mind is that the custom-built racer only weighs 140kg (308 lbs).
That means it’s got a power-to-weight ratio somewhere in the region of 2,087 bhp per tonne.
It’s like a rocket, in other words.
There’s also some special tech at play, with a vacuum system sucking the single-seater to the ground like a McLaren F1.
Apparently, the end result is a doubling of the contact force.
The Swiss students began working on the custom-built racer, which is called Mythen, in September last year.
Having lost the record to the University of Stuttgart’s 1.46 seconds benchmark last year, the group was keen to snatch it back.
And, with the custom-built racer doing a sub-second run in Dubendorf, they managed to do it.
All done in the space of 12.3 meters (40.35 feet) as well.
Speaking about what it’s like behind the wheel of the custom-built racer, driver Kate Maggetti said “you do feel a few nerves”.
“It probably also has to do with respect. You really notice that your heart is pounding away,” she said.
“But you’ve just got to do it and see it through. Then everything’s better again, and then it’s fun too.
“It’s like being on a roller coaster with a really, really fast start. You feel the tension and a kick.”
Confirmed by Guinness World Records, the custom-built racer now holds the world record for fastest acceleration, knocking the Tesla Model S Plaid off the top spot.
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Adam Gray is an experienced freelance motoring journalist and content creator based in the United Kingdom. Using his media accreditation with manufacturers’ press offices, Adam test drives the latest cars and attends new vehicle press launches, producing written reviews and news pieces for a variety of lifestyle and business publications. Here at Supercar Blondie, Adam applies his journalistic skills penning social-first content around current news and trends. When he’s not behind the wheel of the latest car or writing up another viral story, Adam can be found at his local rink playing ice hockey or at the Riverside Stadium supporting his beloved Middlesbrough FC.
