A British engineer's record-breaking machine has left onlookers in awe, smashing the world speed record for remote-controlled cars with a blistering top speed of 256.74mph (413.2km/h). Steve Wallis, from Rugby, Warwickshire, achieved this incredible feat with his custom-built model, the Mach Reaper, at the Yes Mate Speed event held at Llanbedr Airfield in North Wales.
Wallis's success marks a significant milestone for the hobbyist, who only started building high-speed models two years ago. His innovative techniques, including integrating drone motors into his designs, have been key to his achievements. The Mach Reaper, initially designed as a quadcopter drone, showed early promise by reaching 129mph (207.6km/h) at its first speed test.
Wallis meticulously crafts each model from scratch at home, utilising a 3D printer to bring his designs to life. He shares the intricate building process through videos on his YouTube channel, offering a unique insight into the engineering behind his record-breaking machines. For this attempt, Wallis focused on enhancing aerodynamics by narrowing the Mach Reaper's design to reduce drag and increased torque by fitting larger drone motors, boosting its acceleration capabilities.
Looking ahead, Wallis is already planning further modifications to push the boundaries of speed even further. He has expressed interest in experimenting with a rocket booster for one of his future cars, aiming to provide an additional surge of power as the vehicle approaches speed traps while maintaining its electric power source.