SuperfastMatt Is Hayabusa-Swapping His Land Speed Record Car To Break 325 MPH

Oh, the Suzuki Hayabusa. It's far too fast for the vast majority of riders, has a reputation for mostly being ridden by people you hate, and doesn't even have the fastest top speed anymore. However, in the car world, the Hayabusa's engine remains an incredibly popular choice for builders who want big power and low weight. There's almost no limit to the cars you can shove a Hayabusa engine into, and we've loved every single one we've ever seen. But have you ever seen one in a car that can hit 325 mph? 

If you haven't, you're in for a treat. Because our old friend SuperfastMatt has decided to Hayabusa-swap his land speed racer. Last year, he set a record for the highest speed ever achieved with a naturally aspirated 1.0-liter engine, but as he explains in the video below, a mere 270 mph wasn't enough for him. He wants to go faster, and to do that, he needs a bigger engine that makes more power. An engine that will get his car over 300 mph and potentially even more than 325 mph, which he says is the current record for the 1.5-liter class. 

To make that happen, the old BMW engine he previously used has to go, and in its place will go an old Suzuki engine — specifically, an old Hayabusa engine that's getting bored out to 1.5 liters and turbocharged to make about 700 horsepower on ethanol. Perfect.

Considering the previous engine was a thoroughly modern superbike engine, why toss it in favor of a multi-decade-old Hayabusa engine, especially if he wants to set a land speed record? Well, as he explains in the video, that engine is a known quantity. Choosing that engine means he'll have a much easier time getting replacement parts when something breaks, and when your plan is to squeeze 700 hp out of a motorcycle engine, it's probably best if you're prepared for things to break. 

People have also been modifying Hayabusa engines for a long, long time, which means he can learn from their mistakes instead of making his own. At least in theory, that should save him both time and money. Not that it'll be cheap. By the time the engine's ready, most of the OEM parts will likely be gone in favor of forged and billet aftermarket replacements. But in theory, the end result will be a land speed car that could theoretically hit 350 mph. Not bad at all.

At about the three-minute mark, you do hit a product review that takes up a good chunk of the video, but honestly, even that's pretty interesting, since it's all about 3D scanners. Normally, I wouldn't mention an ad, but we love a good detour, and this one is particularly fascinating. I won't pretend I have any use for a 3D laser scanner, but it's still cool to see just how much more detail the latest laser scanners pick up on. Sometimes, technology's just neat. 

Sadly, if you were hoping to see the 700-hp turbo-Busa in action, you're going to have to wait a little longer. Matt's still in the early stages of the engine swap, so who doesn't love a little build-up of anticipation? Especially when he says the goal is to get the engine to run on 40 pounds of boost. Not four. Forty. And when he does finally make his top speed run, you better believe I'm going to make you watch that video, too.