Honda products have won dozens of motorsports championships throughout the world, dominating competition at legendary venues from Indianapolis to Monaco, and on surfaces ranging from the sands of Dakar to the dirt of Carlsbad. But this past week, an intrepid group of young Honda engineers took to the salt flats of Bonneville, Utah to post the fastest speed ever recorded for a Honda vehicle.
Not only did the Honda engineers post a new FIA World Record for a vehicle in its class, it posted a speed faster than any Honda-powered car ever, by using a 660cc engine based on the three-cylinder power-plant designed for the Honda S660 sports car.
Installed into the Honda S Dream Streamliner, this tiny engine borrowed from the Honda S660 sports car sent the vehicle to an average top speed of 261.96 mph (421.58 km/h) over the flying mile at Bonneville
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While the S-Dream Streamliner’s three-cylinder, 600-cc engine is similar to the one found in the S660, it has been heavily modified to produce what Honda claims is three times the original amount of power. A Veyron-beating top speed from roughly 190 hp is still plenty impressive. The record car topped out at 266 mph at one point, but it didn’t match that speed on the return run.
The team of 16 Japanese Honda engineers, who were chosen from a pool of 100 volunteers, set a new FIA World Record for a vehicle in the class – Category-A Group-1 Class-4 – and even bested Honda’s previous land speed record at Bonneville, set by the Honda Racing F1 team in 2006. That V10-powered F1 car averaged 248.548 mph.
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Honda’s ‘Bonneville Speed Challenge’ project was launched last year and includes 16 members chosen from a pool of 100 volunteers. The aerodynamic vehicle was piloted by Japanese motorcycle rider Hikaru Miyagi, who can now claim having driven the fastest Honda car ever.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
