Continue reading VIDEO: World's longest Scalectric track assembled at Brooklands, James May officiates

VIDEO: World's longest Scalectric track assembled at Brooklands, James May officiates originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading 227 MPH Audi A4 beats Bugatti to set world record for fastest car powered by biogas

227 MPH Audi A4 beats Bugatti to set world record for fastest car powered by biogas originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 May 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading VIDEO: World Record for doing donuts fast

VIDEO: World Record for doing donuts fast originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

VW Jetta TDI sets Guinness World Record of 58.82 mpg originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany is now home to more than just automobiles. The museum has been recognized by the Guinness Book of Records for creating the "strongest artificially generated tornado in the world." The 34.4 meter high (that is 37.2 yards to those metrically challenged) vortex was not designed as an attraction, but to channel smoke out of the building in the event of a fire. The architecture wonderment that is the museum did not make use of any fire doors in the design (surely they would get in the way of the architect's vision). In order to meet regulations, the building engineers had to determine a way to keep smoke from spreading beyond the fire level, the tornado is the resulting solution. The twister takes around seven minutes to materialize and is generated by 144 jets and 28 tons of air. The low pressure area at the center of the tornado works to create a jet stream that draws smoke out of the building's corridors and funnels it upwards and out an exhaust vent on the roof. Check the gallery for photos of a carbon dioxide infused tornado demonstration.

Check out the video of Mercedes' artificial tornado after the jump.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz Museum Tornado

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz Museum contains world record artificial tornado

Mercedes-Benz Museum contains world record artificial tornado originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Oct 2007 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

And the award for Top Speed Achieved by a Production Automobile goes to: Shelby Supercars' Ultimate Aero Twin Turbo. Claiming a stretch of public road in Washington State for the effort, the SSC UATT made two runs in accordance with Guinness Book of World Record rules, one in each direction. The first run clocked 257.11 MPH, the second, return one came in at 254.55 MPH. The average: 255.83 MPH. That bests all challengers -- yes, even the Veyron -- by at least 3 MPH.

For comparison, the SSC's V8 packs 1,183 BHP and 1,094 ft-lbs. as opposed to the Veyron's 16 cylinders, 1,001 HP, and 922 ft-lb. In addition to a bigger punch, the SSC also carries less weight: 2,700 pounds versus the Veyron's 4,162. Much of the Veyron poundage no doubt is attributable to its interior, which is a splendid place to be even when you're not doing 250+. SSC still needs to submit the paperwork and get official certification from Guinness before it's run is, as we say, officially official. Intriguing, though, that of all the names mentioned, the one not broached was the previous holder of the top speed record: the Callaway Sledgehammer.

[Source: Jalopnik]

SSC (almost officially) takes top speed record originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Sep 2007 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continental has entered the Guinness Book of World Records with a top speed of 242 mph (388 km/h). We're definitely not talking about the behemoth Bentley, as powerful as it is. The record now officially belongs to Continental Tires for its ContiSportContact Vmax, which has been officially certified by those stout-chugging judges as the world's fastest production road tire.

The rubber was tested on the 9ff-modified Porsche 911 that took the world record for the fastest street-legal road car. A custom 9ff cabrio also took the record for the world's fastest convertible with a high end of 237.8 mph (380.5 km/h). Both cars are owned by 9ff chief Jan Fatthauer, and the top speed runs were certified by Guinness.

If you're thinking that the Bugatti Veyron (and the purpose-made Michelin rubber on its wheels) can hit a higher speed, you may be right, but the Veyron has yet to try for the official record, and its tires were specially made for the Bugatti, while the Continentals are offered to the public as standard production road tires. As much as the car's own capabilities, how it makes contact with the road (i.e., its tires) often dictates a car's limits. Just keeping the tires from melting (as they do on the Veyron after just 12 minutes at its 253-mph top speed) is a feat in and of itself.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Continental takes world speed record originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Jul 2007 08:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: World Record "Longest Parade of Ferrari Cars"

Continue reading Ferrari gets in Guinness with record 385 cars at Silverstone

Ferrari gets in Guinness with record 385 cars at Silverstone originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jun 2007 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Making it official: Bugatti Veyron going for fastest production car originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Sep 2006 18:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.