Fans of the 1960s anime Speed Racer who have always dreamed of driving the Mach 5 are in luck. Although it doesn’t have all of the functional gadgets of the car from the cartoon, the closest thing to a real-life Mach 5 is going to a no-reserve auction. It’s a heavily disguised C4 Corvette that looks like it’s ready for battle with Racer X.
Speed Racer ran from 1966-1968 and has an enduring fan base, partially because of the starring car, the Mach 5. In the show, the title character piloted the Mach 5 in fantastical grand prix races full of danger and adventure. Some of the car’s gadgets that have captivated viewers for almost 60 years include retractable saw blades, a submarine mode with a periscope, infrared night vision, and automatic jacks that allow the car to jump at speed, as well as give the mechanic Sparky easy access to the undercarriage.
This Mach 5 bound for the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction is a faithful replica of the car from the show. Its fabricated body looks just like the “real” Mach 5; a large “M” is painted on the hood (for “Mifune,” the starring family’s name in Japan), the number “5” is on the doors, and it even has faux saw blades under its nose.
The interior has bright red and yellow upholstery with “5” embroidered on the headrests and floor mats. The steering wheel has buttons that would normally be used to activate the car’s various gadgets. There’s aluminum trim throughout the interior and what appears to be a tablet-based infotainment system in the center stack. The listing does not clarify whether the car comes with a chimp in the trunk, like Speed Racer’s mischievous brother’s pet, Chim Chim.
Under the heavily modified exterior and interior is a 1989 Chevy Corvette. The listing doesn’t specify the powertrain, but judging by the photos, it looks like the 5.7L V8 L98 that originally powered the 1989 Corvette, which made 245 horsepower and 340 pound-feet of torque when new. The interior photos indicate that it has the 700R4 four-speed automatic transmission.
Check out the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction from January 18th through the 26th for a rare chance to own a highly screen-accurate Mach 5 replica. It’s lot 165.1 and will be located at Tent 9 EW-9.
79 workers affected.
Utilizing existing American manufacturing.
No other incentives offered on next-gen three-row crossover.
With a remedy currently in development.
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Only GenX kids will recognize this, lol. That being said Speed Racer is why I would be interested in getting a white convertible sports car with red leather interior. An F-Type would have been perfect for that Mach5-like color scheme.
This would be a great car to have for drives with Trixie!
(Trixie is the girlfriend of Speed Racer, for those of you who didn't know)
As a kid I thought this was the coolest car ever, until my Dad pointed out that with all the gadgets the car would be to heavy to be competitive on a race track. Still the car won every single time, even against Speed Racer's brother Racer X.
So you can confirm that Racer-X, is in fact Speed Racer's brother?
I sped read trying to avoid adversments and so I may be wrong but you didn't mention the "Bird".
The little drone that popped out the hood was definitely beyond its time.
The Black Beauty driven by Kato (Bruce Lee) in "The Green Hornet" had a drone with a TV camera. And that was in 1965 and 1966, before "Speed Racer".
I bid $5.00