Friday 17th July 1903

American Arthur Duray driving a Gobron-Brillié became the first man to travel faster than 80 mph when he established a new world land-speed record of 83.46 mph in Ostend, Belgium. His car had four massive cylinders with eight pistons. The pistons were opposed, in pairs, instead of in-line, and developed 100 bhp. The engine was coupled up to a gearbox that powered the drive chain to the rear axle, allowing a lower range of rpm in a high-speed race car.