The fastest car in 1939

John Cobb’s Railton Special was the fastest car in 1939, setting the outright world land‑speed record at 369.74 mph (595.04 km/h) on 23 August 1939 at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. This two‑way average over the flying mile, officially timed and ratified, made Cobb’s machine the quickest automobile on Earth that year.

Why the Railton Special holds the 1939 crown

In motor sport, “fastest car” can mean different things—production cars, racing cars, or the absolute land‑speed record. In 1939, the definitive benchmark was the world land‑speed record governed by international rules: a two‑run average over a measured distance, taken in opposite directions to cancel wind and gradient. By that standard, the Railton Special—conceived by engineer Reid Railton and driven by Briton John Rhodes Cobb—was the official fastest automobile in the world in 1939.

The machine: design and powertrain

The Railton Special was a purpose‑built streamliner with an emphasis on stability and power. It used two Napier Lion W12 aero engines, one driving the front axle and the other the rear, effectively giving the car all‑wheel drive. Combined output was on the order of 2,500–3,000 horsepower in 1939 trim. The low-slung chassis, enclosed bodywork, and carefully managed airflow minimized drag while keeping the car planted on the salt at extreme speeds.

The 1939 record run

On 23 August 1939 at Bonneville, Cobb recorded a two‑way average of 369.74 mph (595.04 km/h) for the flying mile, with a near‑identical mark over the flying kilometer. The runs were timed and recognized by the relevant sanctioning bodies of the period. This record stood as the world’s fastest until after World War II, when Cobb returned in 1947 with an improved version (by then often referred to as the Railton Mobil Special) to push the mark to 394.19 mph (634.39 km/h).

What about “fastest production car” in 1939?

If the question is interpreted as the fastest road‑going production car available in 1939, the speeds were far lower than the outright record machines. Several elite grand tourers of the late 1930s were renowned for their top‑end performance on public roads.

• Bugatti Type 57SC (including Atlantic/Atalante variants): commonly cited top speed around 120–123 mph (193–198 km/h), depending on bodywork and state of tune.
• Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B: one of the era’s most advanced road cars, typically quoted around 110–120 mph (177–193 km/h).
• Mercedes‑Benz 540K: supercharged luxury performance model with reported top speeds near 110 mph (177 km/h) in period trim.
• Duesenberg Model SJ (earlier in the decade; production ended by 1937): often credited with 135–140 mph (217–225 km/h) in supercharged form, though standout high‑speed runs often involved special, non‑standard configurations.

Unlike the single‑purpose land‑speed cars, these production and coachbuilt machines balanced performance with road usability, and their top speeds reflect period tires, aerodynamics, and road conditions.

How 1939 compared with other 1930s speed milestones

The late 1930s saw extraordinary one‑off speed achievements beyond the outright record. Mercedes‑Benz’s W125 Rekordwagen set a 432.7 km/h (268.8 mph) record on a public road in 1938, and streamlined Grand Prix cars from Mercedes and Auto Union topped 400 km/h (249 mph) in special trim on fast circuits such as Berlin’s AVUS. Even so, Cobb’s 1939 Bonneville mark remained the recognized global pinnacle for absolute automobile speed going into World War II.

Sources and verification

Details of Cobb’s 1939 record are documented in international land‑speed record archives (today overseen by the FIA), historical records from the Bonneville Salt Flats, and collections maintained by institutions such as the National Motor Museum (Beaulieu) and Brooklands Museum. Period technical accounts of the Railton Special and Napier Lion engines corroborate the design and powertrain described above.

Summary

The fastest car in 1939 was John Cobb’s Railton Special, officially clocked at 369.74 mph (595.04 km/h) over the flying mile at Bonneville on 23 August 1939. While road‑legal performance cars of the year approached 110–123 mph, Cobb’s twin‑engine streamliner set the definitive pre‑war benchmark for outright automotive speed.

What was the fastest car in the world in 1937?

The fastest car in 1937 was the Mercedes-Benz W125 Rekordwagen, which achieved an average speed of 268.9 mph (432.7 km/h) in a record-setting run that year. This heavily modified Grand Prix racer was driven by Rudolf Caracciola, the dominant European Grand Prix champion of the era.
 
You can watch this video to see the Mercedes-Benz W125 in action: 32sBritish PathéYouTube · Apr 13, 2014
Key Details 

• Car: Mercedes-Benz W125 Rekordwagen
• Driver: Rudolf Caracciola
• Speed: 268.9 mph (432.7 km/h)
• Significance: This car was a specialized version of the W125 Grand Prix car, designed specifically for land speed record attempts.

What was the fastest car in 1935?

The Blue Bird, driven by Sir Malcolm Campbell, was the fastest car in 1935, setting a new land speed record of 301.1 mph (484.6 km/h) at the Bonneville Salt Flats on September 3, 1935. This made it the first automobile in history to officially exceed 300 miles per hour, powered by a Rolls-Royce R-series V12 aircraft engine.
 
Key Details: 

• Driver: Sir Malcolm Campbell
• Vehicle: Bluebird land speed record car
• Location: Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah
• Date: September 3, 1935
• Speed: 301.1 mph (484.6 km/h)

The Bluebird’s success in breaking the 300 mph barrier was a significant achievement, cementing Sir Malcolm Campbell’s legendary status in the pursuit of speed.

What was the fastest car in the 1930s?

There wasn’t a single “fastest car” in 1930, but both the 1930 Bentley 8 Litre and the 1930 Mercedes-Benz SSK were considered among the fastest and most capable cars of the era. The Bentley 8 Litre was a contender for the fastest car in the world, while the Mercedes-Benz SSK was a successful racing car designed by Ferdinand Porsche that reached around 120 mph.
 
1930 Bentley 8 Litre 

• Speed: Competed for the title of the world’s fastest car in the 1930s.
• Engine: Featured a large 8-liter engine.
• Significance: Known for its luxury, power, and performance.

1930 Mercedes-Benz SSK 

• Speed: Reached speeds of approximately 120 mph.
• Engine: Equipped with a powerful supercharged engine that produced significant torque.
• Designer: Designed by Ferdinand Porsche.
• Racing Prowess: A highly successful racing car that won races like the German Grand Prix and the Mille Miglia.

Other Notable Cars of the Era
While the Bentley and SSK were top-tier, other significant cars in the 1930s included the Duesenberg Model J, which was the fastest American production car of the 1920s and paved the way for the supercharged Model SJ later in the decade, reaching speeds of 135-140 mph.

What was the fastest production car in 1939?

More than eight metres long, powered by a Daimler-Benz aircraft engine developing up to 2,574 kW (3,500 PS) and designed for a speed of up to 650 km/h: the Mercedes‑Benz T 80 of 1939 was the automotive dream of the absolute world land speed record.