The Land Speed Record vehicles. The variety of design and sophistication

In December of 1905 on the Arles-Salon road in southern France, the outspoken Victor Hémery set a new Land Speed Record stopping the clocks in 20 3/5sec and 108.59 mph with the above 1905 Darracq

1905 Napier 

104.65mph  that record was bested a few minutes later by the $50,000 twin engined Mercedes, of H.B. Bowden

 http://www.rodauthority.com/news/january-31st-marks-the-anniversary-of-the-first-car-to-break-100-mph/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=january-31st-marks-the-anniversary-of-the-first-car-to-break-100-mph

the above is looking at it from back to front

most images from
 http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2012/07/land-speed-record-vehicles-part-one.html and
http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2012/07/land-speed-record-vehicles-part-2-jet.html
the 1905 Darracq photo and more story about it here: http://theoldmotor.com/?p=134988