The Engineering Superhero Who Inspired Generations: Speed Racer

A: Auto-Jacks. These are built in jacks for lifting the car during pit stops, just like the air jacks we see in today’s endurance racing sports cars such as those at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A key difference is that Speed can deploy the Mach 5’s jacks while driving, to launch the car over obstacles.

B: Belt tires. These are deployable tracks that let the Mach 5 gain traction on any surface. Significantly, the Mach 5 sends power to all four wheels, just like modern supercars such as the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ.

C: Cutter Blade. Button “C” deploys giant spinning blades from the front of the car. As a kid, I thought Speed was negligently slow in applying this solution to more of the bad guys’ cars. A lot of problems could have been nipped in the bud with some timely Cutter Blade action.

D: Defensor/Deflector. This is a clear bubble that encloses the Mach 5’s open cockpit to provide occupant protection bullets, water and that evil-doer go-to, sleeping gas.

E: Evening Eye. This is a night vision system like today infrared systems seen on numerous high-end cars. Rather than a head-up display projected on the inside of the windshield, as modern cars use, the Mach 5’s evening eye works with special goggles attached to his helmet, like military pilots use.

F: Frogger Mode. This lets the Mach 5 operate under water. The car carries its own oxygen supply that is sufficient for 30 minutes submerged. The car’s periscope relays the image from the surface to a video display in the cockpit, much like today’s back-up cameras and around-view parking camera systems do.

G: Gizmo. This is the name applied to the Mach 5’s deployable drone, which is operated remotely by controls built into the car’s dashboard. The drone, which is disguised to look like a bird, is employed primarily to carry images, voice messages and other information to other people.

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