The Spirit of America Sonic I jet car, which accelerated to almost 1,000 km/h in 1965, was put up for auction
RM Sotheby's auction has announced bidding for the legendary Spirit of America Sonic I, a jet car that set two world speed records for land vehicles in 1965. Pilot Craig Breedlove first achieved 894 km/h and then surpassed himself by accelerating to 966.5 km/h.
Here's What We Know
This vehicle looks more like an aircraft: a 10-metre-long body, an aerodynamic nose and a stabilising tail designed for ultra-high speeds. The Sonic I has a GE J79 jet engine with 45,000 horsepower, which is about 40 times more than the Bugatti Chiron. However, this unique vehicle has never been out on ordinary roads: the races were held on the dried up Lake Bonneville, famous among speed record holders.
The car has been in the collection of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum since 1975. Now it may find itself in a private collection for the first time. Auction house RM Sotheby's estimates Spirit of America Sonic I at $500,000-1,000,000 (or approximately €470,000-950,000).
Source: RM Sotheby' s
