And the fastest accelerating street-legal car in the world is ...

[BTB 500]

... a 1993 Vauhall Calibra of course (if you've read this month's Top Gear mag). Subtle bonnet bulge accomodates an 11.5-litre Chevvy V8, giving a NOS-assisted output of 1400 BHP

Hence 0-60 in 1.25 secs

It's fully UK road-legal with tax, MOT, and insurance:

http://cars.msn.co.uk/carnews/streetracejun05/Default.asp?MSID=26f4584101704fd9b5b327d6ebede63c

 

[Madferrit]

CHAVtastic!

 

[Thmsshaun]

I have seen that go down the track at Santa Pod. Cant remeber what the time was but the speed over the line was 187Mph. IIRC was about 6 seconds.


*EDIT* just read on the link

- Best times so far:

1/4 mile in 8.14 sec @ 174mph

 

[wallingd]

No doubt the (8v's) Cd of 0.26 helps a bit as well.

 

[BTB 500]

Don't imagine that bonnet bulge helps the Cd much!

Pretty awesome for a street legal car though.

Edit - bet it caused a stir at the MOT testing station!

 

[Alfie]

As far as I'm aware NOS is not legal for use on the road.

 

[Robby]

Legal to have it fitted, just not to use it.

 

[BTB 500]

Legal to have it fitted, just not to use it.

I thought it was OK, provided your insurance covers it (obviously it's illegal to drive uninsured).

http://www.activenitrous.com/faq.php#q6

http://www.m-99.co.uk/Nitrous_Oxide/NOS_Car_Insurance/nos_car_insurance.html

 

[Thmsshaun]

Wonder what his MPG is

 

[Brett]

I wonder where that "road trip" photo was taken. They all appear to be on the wrong side of the road and all appear to be driving American cars. Wierd.

Oh and for all you out there with kids addicted to "Bob the Builder" doesn't the car behind look like Lofty? "Erm, I think so...."

 

[Thmsshaun]

From what I can make out that would be part of the road route that they run when it was over the US.

The others would be the other street legal racers in the class.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I read about this before - it is indeed a US competition, and in the "class" all cars must be road legal. Part of the requirement is that they must drive a mile or so (IIRC) on public roads and fill up with unleaded, before returning to the drag strip. I suspect this photo was taken doing exactly that.