Why Speed Racer's Mach 5 is really the GT

[ENZO BTR]

I saw Speed Racer a couple nights ago at an IMAX theatre.

Intense movie in terms of visuals, and I'm probably just getting old but the idea of not having a single shot/camera angle last more than 3.7 seconds seems a bit excessive, even for the ADD/under 35 crowd.

Anyway, watching the movie it occurred to me that Speed Racer's Mach 5, while not a real car in and of itself, was obviously inspired by a real car. The "gadget" elements were apparently inspired by James Bond's Aston Martin, but I would suggest its performance inspiration was the Ford GT/GT40. Here's why:

1. The series came out in the mid-1960s, hitting T.V. in 1967. What car was known for winning races at that point in history? Hmmmm...
2. The Mach 5 is extremely fast
3. The Mach 5 is extremely durable, meaning it can be hit or flip or experience a hard landing but continue to run (thus it's obviously not any Ferrari or Jaguar model)
4. Despite its massive capabilities it can be worked on and upgraded by family mechanics in a home garage - much like an American hot rod or muscle car, thus it's not any exotic European car
5. It's pretty cool looking with enhanced "hips" over the rear end and an extremely low profile (of course it's also got an open cabin, so maybe it's really a GTX1)

Anyway, just a theory. :biggrin

 

[Kingman]

:thumbsup

 

[tmcphail]

Excellent points !

 

[SYCO GT]

I took the family (wife and 2 small kids) to watch Speed Racer today at the Irvine Spectrum.

Definitely sensory overload, it was like a cross between a Dr. Seuss book and the new Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, plus Las Vegas on full tilt. And 2 hrs 15 minutes long. They could have cut about 45 minutes and maintained the essence of the plot.

Anyway, my toddler loved it, and our baby loved the first 20 minutes of colors and action and then promptly passed out.

The coolest thing though, was that this weekend (tomorrow also) Peter Fernandez, the original voice of Speed and Racer X was there and signing autographs. I got a shirt for my toddler and he loves it. Peter was very friendly and nice in person. They really went all out with the promotion and marketing, so it made the overall "Speed Racer" experience fun.

The full size Mach 5 is also on display in front of the theatre this weekend.

 

[SYCO GT]

Intense movie in terms of visuals, and I'm probably just getting old but the idea of not having a single shot/camera angle last more than 3.7 seconds seems a bit excessive, even for the ADD/under 35 crowd.

I completely agree. I found it irritating and psychologically discomforting. I mean, it's cool as an occasional style technique, but overbearing for a majority of 135 minutes.

 

[gtjoey]

Did there lips move out of sequense with the words!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:lol:lol

AH!! OH!!!!!!!!! LOOK OUT CHIM CHIMM!!!!!!!!:lol

I thing the bird cage maserati and the old ferrari testerosa were also factors
AHHHHH OHHHHHHHHHHHHH :thumbsup
How great was 1967 68 69 if you were to young to go to vietnam!
start the day with i love lucy,mr. green jeans, lambchop and kookala fran and ollie by 3pm it was ALWAYS woody woodpecker/bugs bunny then depending on the day batman, adams family the munsters , leave it to beaver 5pm lucy again. Of course sunday was always abbot and costello with bingo the monkey and mr. baccagalloup! Sitting on the counch though in the summer in shorts with plastic seat covers in no a/c was a killer :biggrin:biggrin:biggrin gtjoey 1314

 

[t32b]

And then watch Get Smart at night
But you nailed it. Life was good. Very very good.

Did there lips move out of sequense with the words!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:lol:lol

AH!! OH!!!!!!!!! LOOK OUT CHIM CHIMM!!!!!!!!:lol

I thing the bird cage maserati and the old ferrari testerosa were also factors
AHHHHH OHHHHHHHHHHHHH :thumbsup
How great was 1967 68 69 if you were to young to go to vietnam!
start the day with i love lucy,mr. green jeans, lambchop and kookala fran and ollie by 3pm it was ALWAYS woody woodpecker/bugs bunny then depending on the day batman, adams family the munsters , leave it to beaver 5pm lucy again. Of course sunday was always abbot and costello with bingo the monkey and mr. baccagalloup! Sitting on the counch though in the summer in shorts with plastic seat covers in no a/c was a killer :biggrin:biggrin:biggrin gtjoey 1314

 

[MWG]

There was a prototype at the Petersen Museum last year. There were plans to produce a limited number back in 2000.

1999 Mach 5 Prototype: http://picasaweb.google.com/mgrigs/SpeedRacer?authkey=euu8mj2jOqo&pli=1

"The Mach 5 has been described as 'the most famous race car in the world' because of the continuing popularity of the 1967 Speed Racer cartoon series, which has an estimated fan base of 50 million people. In 2000, this three dimensional interpretation of the cartoon Mach 5 completed a nationwide automotive safety tour sponsored by the Child Safety Network. Speed Racer Motors later unveiled plans to build a Signature Series of 100 road-ready Mach 5's numbered and signed by Peter Fernandez, the voice and creative force behind the Speed Racer cartoons. Unlike this prototype which has a mid-engine, the Corvette-based "production" roadsters will feature a 5.7 liter, 385 horsepower V-8 engine mounted in the front."

 

[SYCO GT]

Here's a partially obscured picture of the Mach 5 at the Irvine Spectrum. Definitely different than the prototype at the Peterson, looked at the windscreen, in particular. Perhaps it is the Corvette-based production...

 

[gtjoey]

t32b , ANNNDDDD LOVING IT!!! GTJOEY 1314

 

[Waxer]

Ah yes. Speed Racer. My world in 1966 and 1967 revolved around Speed Racer and Racer X. I have fond memories, as an 8 year old sitting on the family room floor glued to the T.V. whenever Speed Racer was on. Batman was in second place as a hero.

I dreamed as kid of owning a car like the Mach 5. I realized too soon in life that the Mach 5 could never be a reality. It would actually weigh a 5 tons or more and have to be the size of a Bradley fighting vehicle with all the equipment and mechanicals to make them work...but in a child's world it was real enough and thats all that mattered.

Its funny how as a child when you watched all the episodes you never really thought about how many of the scenes were so unrealistic, clearly impossible or so far from ever really happening in real life because well, you were just a kid.

Its funny, I have many of the old episodes on CD and watch them from time to time because....well the theme music and episodes remind me of when I was a kid, had no responsibilities, of the days when my parents were alive and my purple Schwinn 5 Speed with the stick shift was my prize possession and my friend's older brother next door had the coolest car in the word.. a '67 Stingray. I was actually watching some of the episodes this past Friday night with my wife and she said she would be embarrassed for anyone to find out I was watching them and worse..that she was watching them with me.

Well, guess what honey..now the world knows. LOL.

Its funny, I agree with Mr. Mitty although not that the Mach 5 was based on the Ford GT but the fact that the Ford GT reminds me of the era of race cars that battled the Mach 5 and the Shooting Star. I see many of the cars in the openning to the show and in the episodes that resemble the Ford GT and race cars of that day, i.e. Ferraris, Maseratis, Astons etc... I see race cars that appear to be Ford GTs/GT40s or something similar to Ford GT/GT40s in nearly every episode of Speed Racer.

No doubt about it. The Ford GT is from the era of Speed Racer and Racer X.

Yes, life was good and in a way...as things would have it, in my FGT I may not be driving the Mach 5 but I'm certainly driving one of the Mach 5's competitors and thats close enough for me! All thats missing is for the Mach 5 or the Shooting Star to pull up along side on my next drive and I'm ready to give them a run for their money. How cool is that?!

"Go Speed, Go!"
; )


BTW. My favorite episode. "The Fire Race". I thought Racer X maskerading as his mentor Kabala was the coolest thing since Superballs in the day.

 

[GTNJ]

Ah yes. Speed Racer. My world in 1966 and 1967 revolved around Speed Racer and Racer X. I have fond memories, as an 8 year old sitting on the family room floor glued to the T.V. whenever Speed Racer was on. Batman was in second place as a hero.

I dreamed as kid of owning a car like the Mach 5. I realized too soon in life that the Mach 5 could never be a reality. It would actually weigh a 5 tons or more and have to be the size of a Bradley fighting vehicle with all the equipment and mechanicals to make them work...but in a child's world it was real enough and thats all that mattered.

Its funny how as a child when you watched all the episodes you never really thought about how many of the scenes were so unrealistic, clearly impossible or so far from ever really happening in real life because well, you were just a kid.

Its funny, I have many of the old episodes on CD and watch them from time to time because....well the theme music and episodes remind me of when I was a kid, had no responsibilities, of the days when my parents were alive and my purple Schwinn 5 Speed with the stick shift was my prize possession and my friends older brother next door had the coolest car in the word.. a '67 Stingray. I was actually watching some of the episodes this past Friday night with my wife and she said she would be embarrassed for anyone to find out I was watching them and worse..that she was watching them with me.

Well, guess what honey..know the world knows. LOL.

Its funny, I agree with Mr. Mitty although not that the Mach 5 was based on the Ford GT but the fact that the Ford GT reminds me of the era of race cars that battled the Mach 5 and many of the cars in the openning to the show and in the episodes resemble the Ford GT and race cars of that day. I see what appears to be or something similar to Ford GT in nearly every episode of Speed Racer.

No doubt about it. The Ford GT is from the era of Speed Racer.

Yes, life was good.

BTW. My favorite episode. "The Fire Race". I thought Racer X maskerading as his mentor Kabala was the coolest thing since Superballs in the day.

WOW .... that made me smile :thumbsup Don't forget the pizza as a treat.
No worries RE: cholesterol.:willy

I watched Speed Racer after school. :biggrin

 

[Silverbullitt]

I think when they couldn't use the name GT40 they should have gone for MARK V. Part speed racer part continuation of the GT40 family. After the first GT40s ran the successors were known by Mark II through Mark IV. The GT40 name rarely came up.

 

[Waxer]

Hmmm. Interesting the Mach 5 vs. the Mark V. Cool!

Thats one episode and race I would stick around for!

:thumbsup

 

[SYCO GT]

I think when they couldn't use the name GT40 they should have gone for MARK V. Part speed racer part continuation of the GT40 family. After the first GT40s ran the successors were known by Mark II through Mark IV. The GT40 name rarely came up.

That would have been a great name, rooted in heritage. I agree, I wish they would have explored some clever options, like what you suggest.

Oh well, we are fortunate that one of our main complaints is simply nomenclature.

 

[gtjoey]

Well now that we have all gone this far......:biggrin
Lets face it who was hotter than the chick from "THE AVENGERS"!!!!!
YES , IM ITALIAN AND SOPHIA ,TILL HER LAST DAY ON EARTH IS THE QUEEN OF ALL WOMAN , BUT THOSE BOOTS WERE A KILLER BABY!!!!!!!!!
One foot note , diana riggs does the pbs specials now and put on a cool 175 pounds:ack BUT THATS WHY THEY MAKE THE DVD :biggrin GTJOEY GOOOOOO DOUBLE P.S. WHEN THE SHOW CLOSED HOW COOL WAS ALL THE CARS DRIVING BY AND THE E-TYPE JAG AND THE SPACESHIP WERE THE CARS OF THE FUTURE.:thumbsup

 

[Waxer]

Part of the fun here is checking out Bony's new Avatars. Man I can watch that new one all day. OMG! :eek

Man..if I wasn't married! :wink

 

[Kingman]

..... My world in 1966 and 1967 revolved around .........and my purple Schwinn 5 Speed with the stick shift was my prize possession ............

I had a purple one too. Good times. Good times. Good times. :thumbsup

 

[gtjoey]

I had the red mine was a 69 or 70 it said stringray on the side too..remember swapping out the front wheel with a SMALLER ONE :biggrin it looked so low. gtjoey 1314

 

[K-P Garage]

Raleigh Chopper still faster

Come on Joey everyone knows the Raleigh Chopper could smoke the Schwinns. My brother had a 5 speed "cotton Picker" which while being very cool, weighed in at a ton and I never lost on the chopper. Sort of like a GT today compared to the fiberglass car.