# The Batmobile vs. the powerful Mach 5 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 12, 2003, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batmobile-vs-the-powerful-mach-5/154528 "2003-02-12T05:27:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batmobile-vs-the-powerful-mach-5/154528/41 "2003-02-15T16:52:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tracer \* > \*\*\ > > The Japanese title of _Speed Racer_ was **“Mach Go Go Go”**. It was a double-entendre: The English word “go” means to, you know, **go!** (Presumably to “go” really fast, like a racing car would.) But the Japanese word “go” means 5. “Mach go” = “Mach 5”, get it? > > That’s why Speed had a “G” on his shirt, and why the “G” button in the middle of the steering wheel was so much more prominent than the A-F buttons. The “G” stood for GO. > > \ \*\* You forgot to mention that “Go” (or rather, “Goh”) was actually Speed’s name. His full name was “Go Mifune.” This explains why he has that “M” on his helmet and a “G” on his shirt. FTR, Trixie has an “M” on her blouse because her name in Japanese was Michi Shimura. Sparky’s “S” stood for his name, Sabu. Now if someone would just explain that big letter L which is embroidered on all of Penny Marshall’s blouses… ---
**Author:** ![bong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@bong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bong)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batmobile-vs-the-powerful-mach-5/154528/42 "2003-02-15T19:45:16Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Asylum \* > [BAlthough Batman would beat Speed Racer outright he wouldn’t take any chances. “If you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’” is Batman’s motto. Most likely he would shoot spikes into Speed Racer’s tires and laugh maniacally as Speed lost control and flew into horrified onlookers. Or he might leave one of those cards that reads “To see how to keep an idiot occupied flip this card over” printed on both sides underneath Speed’s windshield wiper before the race. If Speed ever figured that out it’d be long after the race was over and Batman was sipping on a bottle of Mad Dog from his wine cellar._\* But Speed racer would buzzsaw the batmobile. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batmobile-vs-the-powerful-mach-5/154528/43 "2003-02-15T20:27:10Z")
Head to head [Batman theme]([http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cpeek001/Theme](http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cpeek001/Theme) - TV 70s Batman.mp3) [Speed Racer theme]([http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cpeek001/TV](http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cpeek001/TV) Theme - Speed Racer.mp3) ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batmobile-vs-the-powerful-mach-5/154528/44 "2003-02-15T20:31:46Z")
Course Speed cant even go through the Taco Bell drivethrough without throwing his car into spin, that could be a factor. ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batmobile-vs-the-powerful-mach-5/154528/45 "2003-02-15T20:32:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JThunder \* > \*\*You forgot to mention that “Go” (or rather, “Goh”) was actually Speed’s name. His full name was “Go Mifune.” This explains why he has that “M” on his helmet and a “G” on his shirt. > > FTR, Trixie has an “M” on her blouse because her name in Japanese was Michi Shimura. Sparky’s “S” stood for his name, Sabu. \*\* Your really starting to creep me out, man… ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batmobile-vs-the-powerful-mach-5/154528/46 "2003-02-15T20:33:59Z")
Dang it. That settles it, then. Nothing beats the Speed Racer theme. Tough luck, Bat-loser. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batmobile-vs-the-powerful-mach-5/154528/47 "2003-02-15T22:43:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JThunder \* > \*\*You forgot to mention that “Go” (or rather, “Goh”) was actually Speed’s name. His full name was “Go Mifune.” This explains why he has that “M” on his helmet and a “G” on his shirt. > > FTR, Trixie has an “M” on her blouse because her name in Japanese was Michi Shimura.\*\* The "M"s weren’t for “Mach”? ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batmobile-vs-the-powerful-mach-5/154528/48 "2003-02-16T02:25:24Z")
Well, we haven’t explained Racer X’s “M” yet… ---
**Author:** ![grendel72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/91b2a8/32.png) [@grendel72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grendel72)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batmobile-vs-the-powerful-mach-5/154528/49 "2003-02-16T02:30:42Z")
Well, if the theme song counts somehow the General Lee would kick both their asses. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batmobile-vs-the-powerful-mach-5/154528/50 "2003-02-16T02:33:58Z")
Would not! It would triumph over the Batmobile, but would lose miserably to the Mach 5. The General Lee would, however, be roughly tied with the A-Team van. ---
**Author:** ![Inky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7feea3/32.png) [@Inky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inky_1)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batmobile-vs-the-powerful-mach-5/154528/51 "2003-02-16T02:39:03Z")
Am I not mistaken in that the Mach-5 is equipped with an engine so scary-fast that Pop’s Racer felt compelled to bury it in a _FREAKING GRAVEYARD AT MIDNIGHT!?_ And that it had a weird narcotic/psychodelic reaction that only Speed had the skill to endure? Ha! Beat that Batmobile! ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batmobile-vs-the-powerful-mach-5/154528/52 "2003-02-16T03:36:57Z")
No, **Inky-** , that was the GRX in “The Fastest Car on Earth”. The engine was built years before and drivers crashed and died testing it. It was buried (who the hell buries an engine?!) and then dug up to be used in the GRX. Speed gets obsessed with the car and HAS to drive it, but the speed is too fast and he blacks out (Spritle and ChimChim save him). Then Speed joins the GRX team and has the gas that enables the racers to withstand the high speeds. Unfortunately, drinking water reverses the effect and now he’s terrified of any kind of speed! : gasp : ! Then Speed has to race in the Mach 5, even though he’s terrified! He wins of course, and learns quite the valuable lesson (don’t inhale v-gas ;)). Now, who said something about females not participating in this thread? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batmobile-vs-the-powerful-mach-5/154528/53 "2003-02-16T05:55:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JThunder \* > \*\*Would not! It would triumph over the Batmobile, but would lose miserably to the Mach 5. > > The General Lee would, however, be roughly tied with the A-Team van. \*\* Two words. Catherine Bach… ---
**Author:** ![Inky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7feea3/32.png) [@Inky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inky_1)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batmobile-vs-the-powerful-mach-5/154528/54 "2003-02-16T06:06:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by zweisamkeit \* > **No, Inky-, that was the GRX in “The Fastest Car on Earth”. The engine was built years before and drivers crashed and died testing it. It was buried (who the hell buries an engine?!) and then dug up to be used in the GRX.** Curse you Caped Crusader!! You’ve won _THIS_ round!!! ---
**Author:** ![Rie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a6a055/32.png) [@Rie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rie)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batmobile-vs-the-powerful-mach-5/154528/55 "2003-02-16T15:28:52Z")
“He sees you comin’ so you better look alive…” The Mach 5 would win, no question. And to the person who said no females would reply in this thread, you’re wrong. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-batmobile-vs-the-powerful-mach-5/154528.md?page=2)