The information below is for self-propelled wheeled vehicles travelling over open ground. As such, it does not include records set by vehicles travelling on rails or motorized sleds over frozen lakes.
Additionally, the records below do not distinguish between different recognized classes of the land speed record, such as top speed for a motorcycle (333.117 mph), top speed for a steam-driven vehicle (145.607), or other top speeds that are not absolutes.
These are average speeds over the given distance. Two figures are given, one for the speed measured over a kilometre long course, and one for a mile long course. The country field refers to the driver's nationality. Early records were not set according to clearly defined rules and thus some of them are controversial.
Disputed records are on a yellow background.
THIS TABLE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS most of the information is accurate but don't consider it as an absolute reference.
| Date | Location | Driver | Driver Country | Vehicle | Power | Km Speed | Mile Speed | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 18, 1898 | Achères, France | Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat | France | Jeantaud Duc | Electric | 39.24 mph (63.15 km/h) | ||
| January 17, 1899 | Achères, France | Camille Jenatzy | Belgium | CGA Dogcart | Electric | 41.42 mph (66.66 km/h) | ||
| January 17, 1899 | Achères, France | Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat | France | Jeantaud Duc | Electric | 43.69 mph (70.31 km/h) | ||
| January 27, 1899 | Achères, France | Camille Jenatzy | Belgium | CGA Dogcart | Electric | 49.93 mph (80.35 km/h) | ||
| March 4, 1899 | Achères, France | Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat | France | Jeantaud Duc Profilée | Electric | 57.65 mph (92.78 km/h) | ||
| April 29, 1899 | Achères, France | Camille Jenatzy | Belgium | CITA No 25 La Jamais Contente | Electric | 65.79 mph (105.88 km/h) | First record over 100km/h | |
| April 13, 1902 | Nice, France | Leon Serpollet | France | Gardner-Serpollet Oeuf de Pacques | Steam | 75.06 mph (120.80 km/h) | ||
| November 5, 1902 | Ablis, France | William K. Vanderbilt | USA | Mors Z Paris-Vienne | IC | 76.08mph (122.44 km/h) | ||
| November 5, 1902 | Dourdan, France | Henri Fournier | France | Mors Z Paris-Vienne | IC | 76.60 mph (123.28 km/h) | ||
| November 17, 1902 | Dourdan, France | M. Augières | France | Mors Z Paris-Vienne | IC | 77.13 mph (124.13 km/h) | ||
| July 17, 1903 | Ostend, Belgium | Arthur Duray | Belgium | Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid | IC | 83.46 mph (134.32 km/h) | ||
| November 5, 1903 | Dourdan, France | Arthur Duray | Belgium | Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid | IC | 84.73 mph (136.36 km/h) | ||
| January 12, 1904 | Lake St. Clair, USA | Henry Ford | USA | Ford Arrow | IC | 91.37 mph (147.05 km/h) | On frozen lake | |
| March 31, 1904 | Nice, France | Arthur Duray | Belgium | Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid | IC | 88.76 mph (142.85 km/h) | ||
| March 31, 1904 | Nice, France | Louis Rigolly | France | Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid | IC | 94.78 mph (152.53 km/h) | ||
| May 25, 1904 | Ostend, Belgium | Pierre de Caters | Belgium | Mercedes Simplex 90 | IC | 97.25 mph (156.50 km/h) | ||
| July 21, 1904 | Ostend, Belgium | Louis Rigolly | France | Gobron Brillié Gordon Bennett | IC | 103.56 mph (166.66 km/h) | ||
| November 13, 1904 | Ostend, Belgium | Paul Baras | France | Darracq Gordon Bennett | IC | 104.53 mph (168.22 km/h) | ||
| January 24, 1905 | Daytona Beach, USA | Arthur MacDonald | France | Napier 6 | IC | 104.65 mph (168.42 km/h) | ||
| December 30, 1905 | Arles, France | Victor Héméry | France | Darracq V8 Special | IC | 109.65 mph (175.44 km/h) | ||
| January 26, 1906 | Daytona Beach, USA | Fred H. Marchriott | USA | Stanley Steamer | Steam | 121.57 mph (195.65 km/h) | ||
| January 24, 1907 | Ormond Beach, Florida | Glenn Curtiss | USA | Curtiss V8 40hp (30kW) motorcycle | IC | 136.27 mph (219.31 km/h) | ||
| November 6, 1909 | Brooklands, Great Britain | Victor Héméry | France | 200hp Benz No 1 | IC | 125.94 mph (202.68 km/h) | 115.93 mph (186.57 km/h) | |
| June 24, 1914 | Brooklands, Great Britain | L. G. Hornstead | Great Britain | 200hp Benz No 3 | IC | 124.09 mph (199.70 km/h) | First 2-way record | |
| February 12, 1919 | Daytona Beach, USA | Ralph de Plama | USA | Packard 905 | IC | 149.875 mph (241.200 km/h) | Recognized in the USA, not recognized by the AIACR | |
| May 17, 1922 | Brooklands, Great Britain | Kenelm Lee Guinness | Great Britain | 350hp Sunbeam | IC | 133.70 mph (215.17 km/h) | 129.17 mph (207.88 km/h) | Last record set on a closed course |
| July 6, 1924 | Arpajon, France | René Thomas | France | Delage La Torpille | IC | 143.21 mph (230.47 km/h) | 143.31 mph (230.64 km/h) | |
| July 12, 1924 | Arpajon, France | Ernest A. D. Eldridge | Great Britain | FIAT Special Mephistopeles II | IC | 146.01 mph (234.98 km/h) | 145.89 mph (234.79 km/h) | Last record set on a public road |
| September 25, 1924 | Pendine Sands, Wales | Malcolm Campbell | Great Britain | 350hp Sunbeam Blue Bird | IC | 146.15 mph (235.21 km/h) | 146.16 mph (235.22 km/h) | |
| July 21, 1925 | Pendine Sands, Wales | Malcolm Campbell | Great Britain | 350hp Sunbeam Blue Bird | IC | 150.86 mph (242.79 km/h) | 150.76 mph (242.62 km/h) | |
| March 21, 1926 | Southport, Great Britain | Henry Segrave | Great Britain | 4 Litre Sunbeam Ladybird | IC | 152.30 mph (245.10 km/h) | 149.32 mph (240.31 km/h) | |
| April 27, 1926 | Pendine Sands, Wales | J. G. Parry-Thomas | Great Britain | Higham-Thomas Special Babs | IC | 169.29 mph (272.45 km/h) | 168.07 mph (270.48 km/h) | |
| April 28, 1926 | Pendine Sands, Wales | J. G. Parry-Thomas | Great Britain | Higham-Thomas Special Babs | IC | 171.01 mph (273.60 km/h) | 170.62 mph (274.59 km/h) | |
| February 4, 1927 | Pendine Sands, Wales | Malcolm Campbell | Great Britain | Campbell Napier Blue Bird | IC | 174.88 mph (281.44 km/h) | 174.22 mph (280.38 km/h) | Last record set in Europe |
| March 29, 1927 | Daytona Beach, USA | Henry Seagrave | Great Britain | 100hp Sunbeam 'Slug' | IC | 202.98 mph (326.66 km/h) | 203.79 mph (327.97 km/h) | |
| February 19, 1928 | Daytona Beach, USA | Malcolm Campbell | Great Britain | Campbell Napier Blue Bird | IC | 206.95 mph (333.05 km/h) | ||
| April 22, 1928 | Daytona Beach, USA | Ray Keech | USA | White Triplex Spirit of Elkdom | IC | 207.55 mph (334.02 km/h) | ||
| March 11, 1929 | Daytona Beach, USA | Henry Segrave | Great Britain | Irving-Napier Golden Arrow | IC | 231.56 mph (372.66 km/h) | 231.36 mph (372.34 km/h) | |
| February 5, 1931 | Daytona Beach, USA | Malcolm Campbell | Great Britain | Campbell Napier Railton Blue Bird | IC | 246.08 mph (396.03 km/h) | 245.73 mph (395.46 km/h) | |
| February 24, 1932 | Daytona Beach, USA | Malcolm Campbell | Great Britain | Campbell Napier Railton Blue Bird | IC | 251.34 mph (404.49 km/h) | 253.96 mph (408.71 km/h) | |
| February 22, 1933 | Daytona Beach, USA | Malcolm Campbell | Great Britain | Campbell Rolls-Royce Railton Blue Bird | IC | 272.46 mph (438.48 km/h) | 272.10 mph (437.90 km/h) | |
| March 7, 1935 | Daytona Beach, USA | Malcolm Campbell | Great Britain | Campbell Rolls-Royce Railton Blue Bird | IC | 276.16 mph (444.44 km/h) | 276.71 mph (445.32 km/h) | Last record set on a beach |
| September 3, 1935 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Malcolm Campbell | Great Britain | Campbell Rolls-Royce Railton Blue Bird | IC | 301.129 mph (484.620 km/h) | ||
| November 19, 1937 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | George E. T. Eyston | Great Britain | Thunderbolt | IC | 312.00 mph (502.11 km/h) | 311.41 mph (501.17 km/h) | |
| August 27, 1938 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | George E. T. Eyston | Great Britain | Thunderbolt | IC | 345.20 mph (555.55 km/h) | 345.48 mph (556.00 km/h) | |
| September 15, 1938 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | John Cobb | Great Britain | Railton | IC | 350.06 mph (563.37 km/h) | 350.19 mph (563.58 km/h) | |
| September 16, 1938 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | George E. T. Eyston | Great Britain | Thunderbolt | IC | 357.33 mph (575.07 km/h) | 357.49 mph (575.32 km/h) | |
| August 23, 1939 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | John Cobb | Great Britain | Railton | IC | 369.74 mph (595.04 km/h) | 367.91 mph (592.09 km/h) | |
| September 16, 1947 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | John Cobb | Great Britain | Railton 'Mobil' Special | IC | 393.82 mph (633.79 km/h) | 394.19 mph (634.39 km/h) | First one-way over 400mph |
| September 5, 1963 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Craig Breedlove | USA | Spirit of America | Turbojet | 408.312 mph (657.114 km/h) | 407.447 mph (655.722 km/h) | Ratified by FIM as vehicle has 3 wheels |
| October 5, 1964 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Tom Green | USA | Wingfoot Express | Turbojet | 415.093 mph (668.027 km/h) | 413.199 mph (664.979 km/h) | |
| October 7, 1964 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Art Arfons | USA | The Green Monster | Turbojet | 434.356 mph (665.231 km/h) | 434.022 mph (664.694 km/h) | |
| October 13, 1964 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Craig Breedlove | USA | Spirit of America - Sonic 1 | Turbojet | 468.719 mph (754.330 km/h) | ||
| October 15, 1964 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Craig Breedlove | USA | Spirit of America - Sonic 1 | Turbojet | 526.277 mph (846.861 km/h) | ||
| October 27, 1964 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Art Arfons | USA | The Green Monster | Turbojet | 544.134 mph (875.699 km/h) | 536.710 mph (863.791 km/h) | |
| November 2, 1965 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Craig Breedlove | USA | Spirit of America - Sonic 1 | Turbojet | 555.485 mph (893.966 km/h) | 555.485 mph (893.966 km/h) | |
| November 7, 1965 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Art Arfons | USA | The Green Monster | Turbojet | 572.546 mph (921.423 km/h) | 576.553 mph (927.872 km/h) | |
| November 15, 1965 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Craig Breedlove | USA | Spirit of America - Sonic 1 | Turbojet | 600.842 mph (966.961 km/h) | 600.601 mph (966.574 km/h) | |
| October 23, 1970 | Bonneville Salt Flats, USA | Gary Gabelich | USA | Blue Flame | Rocket | 630.389 mph (1014.52 km/h) | 622.407 mph (1001.67 km/h) | First record over 1000km/h |
| December 17, 1979 | Edwards AFB, USA | Stan Barrett | USA | Budweiser Rocket | Rocket | Questionable supersonic top speed claim not officially recognized due to non-standard measurements and doubted by many experts. | ||
| October 4, 1983 | Black Rock Desert, USA | Richard Noble | Great Britain | Thrust2 | Turbojet | 633.468 mph (1019.47 km/h) | ||
| September 25, 1997 | Black Rock Desert, USA | Andy Green | Great Britain | ThrustSSC | Turbofan | 713.496 mph (1148.26 km/h) | 714.144 mph (1149.30 km/h) | |
| October 15, 1997 | Black Rock Desert, USA | Andy Green | Great Britain | ThrustSSC | Turbofan | 760.343 mph (1223.65 km/h) | 763.035 mph (1227.99 km/h) | First supersonic record (Mach 1.016) |