2008 Detroit Auto Show: Racer Motors Mach 5 Preview

A rear-drive, front engine, open-top speeder, the Mach 5 is the fastest, sleekest and most powerful race car ever committed to sheet metal by the Red M builder. Employing the latest advancements in racing, the Mach 5 should be able to handle anything thrown its way, whether competing on the track or on open road courses. Most importantly, this is the car that Racer Motors hopes will win The Crucible cross country road rally, where a tragic crash ended the life of legend and family member Rex Racer.

While the Racer Motors Mach 5 promises to be competitive throughout the racing season, the only win that will return Team Racer to their former glory is a win at The Crucible cross country road rally. To do that they must beat Royalton Industries, and the Mach 5 car seems to be the “great white hope” to break the Royalton winning streak in the infamous race.

Built by team leader and patriarch Pops Racer, the Racer Motors Mach 5 boasts a top speed of over 300 mph thanks to 1000 horsepower at 8500 rpm and 1000 lb.-ft. of torque at 7000 rpm. But sheer torque and power aren’t enough in some of the grueling races the Mach 5 and driver Speed Racer must face. To that end, the #5 car comes equipped with jump-jacks, bulletproof polymer cockpit, tire shields, Hexa-Dyno emergency spare tire, zircon-tipped saw blades, tire crampons and a remote controlled camera capable of transmitting U-CAP (Universal Capture – a gaming industry standard) footage.

Racer Motors Mach 5 is an amalgam of some of the fastest and most beautiful machines to launch over land or through air. With a profile that recalls the Corvette Stingray, with more pronounced hips ala the Shelby Cobra and Ferrari-inspired rear fender intakes providing extra downforce as well as incorporating the nose and tailfins of an F-15 Strike Eagle, the Mach 5 looks poised to pass everything on the road and in the air.

“Designed and built by Racer Motors, the state-of-the-art Mach 5 is Speed Racer’s ride of choice. The sleek lines of the Mach 5 defy its raw power that boasts a top speed of over 300 mph. This racing machine is capable of generating over several Gs of lateral acceleration.”

Speed Racer has proven he’s among the best drivers out there, and we think the Racer Motors Mach 5 is the vehicle that will give him the edge he needs to win The Crucible and the championship. However, we’ve seen test laps of the Mach 5 and are concerned about Speed’s ability to stay focused, and not rely on too many special effects. As long as he doesn’t get caught up in over-the-top Matrix-induced virtual realities and stays true to his roots, we feel Speed Racer and the Mach 5 will take the checkered flag.

Vernon Heywood MyRide Associate Editor Photo Credit: Vernon Heywood