During the filming of this film, no Ladas were hurt. Well, kinda
Garage 54 is back at it, and, rather surprisingly, this time, they aren’t trying to abuse a dying Lada. Russian “scientists,” are following up on their tire-spinning adventures by going a step further than the previous 385-mph attempt. The goal? The goal? This video may not be the most educational on YouTube, but it is still entertaining.
The only thing that is missing is a slow motion camera to capture the helpless Lada on its three wheels as it blows to pieces. The Russians had initially tried a 17-inch wheel, but it proved too heavy for the car’s tiny 60-horsepower motor. So they swapped it for a lighter 13-inch wheel to improve the speed and reach the sound barrier.
Garage 54 claims it must rethink its entire setup in order to reach 767 mph (1.235 km/h). The differential housing couldn’t withstand the stress, and the engine was too weak to be used for the experiment. However, the video host suggests that a manual gearbox may have been a better idea.
A new episode in the tire-spinning story could feature a stronger engine with Japanese origins and an automatic transmission. Garage 54 says that a stronger rear axle is required to carry the heavier load. However, Garage 54 believes it will still be difficult to break the sound barrier. Safety is also an issue. A cross brace flew 100m (328ft) from the makeshift device.
They are aiming to travel 1,000 kilometers per hour, which is 621 mph. This is still nearly twice the speed of the SSC Tuatara’s claimed 316-mph velocity, but that run is shrouded by controversy.