Zachary Berry
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Infographic: What Do the Mach 5’s Steering Wheel Buttons Do?

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As far as fictional racecars go, few are anywhere near as iconic or cool as the Mach 5, the personal car of choice for renowned racecar driver Speed Racer, or Gō Mifune as he is known in Japan. The Speed Racer anime, which first aired on April 2, 1967, celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2017, meaning the Mach 5 has been a part of popular culture for the past five decades.

Some of the Mach 5’s most amazing aspects are all of the odd features that Speed’s father, who’s appropriately named Pops, added to the car, including buzz saws, a bullet-proof shield and even a small mechanical bird. All of these technologies are activated through a collection of letter-clad buttons located on the Mach 5’s steering wheel, which Speed takes advantage of whenever “the odds are against him and there’s dangerous work to do.”

To help you imagine what it might be like to drive behind the wheel of “the most powerful and amazing racing car in the world,” we’ve created a helpful infographic that explains what each of the Mach 5’s steering wheel buttons do.


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