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The Search For Speed Has Always Fascinated Engineers And Motorsport Enthusiasts. Now, A Vehicle Equipped With A Jet Engine That Set A World Record By Reaching 966 Km/h Has Been Sold For More Than US$ 1.2 Million, Reinforcing Its Historical And Technological Value.
The Legendary Speed Car Spirit of America Sonic I Was Put Up For Sale For The First Time. The Vehicle, Driven By Craig Breedlove, Set A World Record In 1965.
The History Of The Model Is Marked By Technological Innovations And An Unrelenting Quest For Speed.
The Car That Made History
The Sonic I Was Designed To Challenge The Limits. Powered By A GE J79 Turbojet Engine, Used In F-4 Phantom II Fighters, The Vehicle Reached The Impressive Speed Of 966 Km/h On November 15, 1965. This Made Craig Breedlove The First Man To Exceed 966 Km/h On Land.
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Peugeot publicly acknowledged the errors of the PureTech engine, which caused serious failures in hundreds of thousands of cars, and introduced the new Turbo 100 as a definitive solution, a 1.2 turbo tested for over 3 million kilometers that replaces the faulty belt with a more durable chain.
The Design Of The Sonic I Was Innovative, With A Coca-Cola Bottle-Shaped Fuselage. The Car Measured 10 Meters In Length And Generated 7 Tons Of Thrust With Its Afterburner System.
Goodyear, The Main Sponsor, Provided Special Tires And Disc Brakes. The Braking System Also Included A Drag Parachute To Assist In Deceleration.
The Cockpit Of The Automobile Was Highly Technological For Its Time, Including An Onboard Air Supply System. All Of This Made The Sonic I A True Engineering Masterpiece.
Records And Legacy
Breedlove’s Achievement Not Only Entered The History Books But Also Inspired His Wife, Lee Breedlove, To Break The Women’s Speed Record. She Reached 496 Km/h, Becoming The Fastest Woman In The World At The Time.
Despite Craig Breedlove’s Desire To Push New Limits, His Future Record Plans Never Came To Fruition.
The 1965 Record Remained Unbeaten Until October 1970, Reinforcing The Importance Of The Sonic I In The History Of Land Speed Racing.
In 1975, The Car Was Acquired By The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, Where It Was On Display For Years.
On Various Occasions, It Was Displayed To The Public, Including Iconic Events Like The Daytona International Speedway In 1980 And The Petersen Automotive Museum In California In 1995.
Historic Sale
Recently, RM Sotheby’s Auctioned The Spirit Of America Sonic I. For The First Time Since Its Creation, It Became Available For Private Acquisition. The Sale Price Was US$ 1,320,628.95. However, The Buyer’s Name Was Not Revealed.
The Sale Of The Sonic I Occurs At A Peak Time For The Classic Racing Car Market. A 1960 Chevrolet Corvette “Fuelie” Camoradi Will Also Be Up For Sale For US$ 1 Million.
The Model Is Considered One Of The Most Important Corvettes To Compete In Endurance Events On The International Scene.
The Spirit Of America Sonic I Remains A Symbol Of Engineering And The Quest For Speed. Its Legacy Lives On, Reinforcing The Pioneering Spirit Of Craig Breedlove And An Era When Breaking Limits Was The Greatest Achievement.
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