| Inspiration | |
| Manufacturer: | British Steam Car Challenge |
| Predecessor: | Stanley Steamer |
| Class: | Land Speed Record (steam) |
| Chassis: | Steel space frame |
| Engine: | Two stage turbine driven by superheated steam |
| Length: | 7.6 m |
| Width: | 1.7 m |
| Height: | 1.7 m |
| Weight: | 3 tons |
| Designer: | Glynne Bowsher |
Inspiration is a British-designed and -built steam-propelled car designed by Glynne Bowsher and developed by the British Steam Car Challenge team.[1] [2]
Inspiration holds the World Land Speed Record for a steam-powered vehicle on 25 August 2009, driven by Charles Burnett III with an average speed of 139.80NaN0[3] over two consecutive runs over a measured mile. This broke the and longest-standing land speed record set in 1906 by Fred Marriott in the Stanley Steamer.[4] On 26 August 2009 the car, driven by Don Wales, broke a second record by achieving an average speed of 148.3080NaN0 over two consecutive runs over a measured kilometre.
The runs were made at Edwards Air Force Base in California, United States. The car is 7.6 m long, 1.7 m wide and weighs 3 tons. It is powered by a two-stage turbine driven by superheated steam from 12 boilers containing distilled water. The boilers are heated by burners which burn Liquid Petroleum Gas to produce 3 Megawatts (10.2 million BTU/hr) of heat. The steam produced is at a temperature of 400 °C (750 °F) and a pressure of 4000 kN/m2 400NaN0. The engine is capable of developing 2880NaN0 and consumes around 40 litres (8.8 Impgal) of water per minute).[5]
The car has been retired to the National Motor Museum Trust at Beaulieu, England.[6]