First image of THE MACH 5 from the upcoming SPEED RACER!

[ApexOversteer]

USA Today got the scoop... here's the report with the image below...

Emile Hirsch was 6 years old when he saw his first episode of the cartoon Speed Racer and, more important, caught a glimpse of the Mach 5.

"It was one of the coolest things I'd ever seen," Hirsch says by phone from Germany, where filming will begin next week on the movie adaptation. "That's when I started thinking it would be great to be on TV. And have one of those."

Sixteen years later, he finally got behind the wheel of the speedster, which gets its first look here and will be at the heart of the film, due May 9, 2008.

"My first thought was, 'Yeah, they got the car right,' " he says. "That's one of the best things about the show, so it was always going to be one of the most important parts of the movie."

That and the return of Andy and Larry Wachowski, the brothers who are making their first directorial effort since The Matrix trilogy.

Like Hirsch, the brothers grew up on the popular 1960s Japanese cartoon about the adventures of a racing family — and its pet chimpanzee, Chim Chim.

"The TV show was the brothers' introduction to Japanese animation," says Joel Silver, a friend of the press-shy Wachowskis and producer of Racer and the Matrix films. "They fell in love with the genre. They said they'd been making R-rated movies their whole lives and wanted to do something their nephews and nieces could watch."

The film, Silver says, will have a "retro future" look and will center on Speed (Hirsch) trying to make a name for himself in the racing world despite the efforts of corporate giants to foil his career. The film also stars Christina Ricci as girlfriend Trixie and Matthew Fox as Speed's older brother, Racer X.

Like the Matrix films and the Wachowski-produced V for Vendetta, Racer "has a lot to say about remaining independent and thinking for yourself," Hirsch says. "The brothers weren't just looking to do the TV show on film."

Unlike those darker movies, Racer "is going to be very bright, very family-friendly," Silver says. "And it will have great effects like TheMatrix, just with the car."

A car that will not see much time on pavement. The Mach 5 will be placed on a crane and most effects will be computer-generated.

One real effect, though: Chim Chim.

"They're using a real monkey," Hirsch says. "Just don't call him that. He's a chimpanzee. He gets upset if you call him a monkey."

.

[Akira]

Nice! I won't mind driving that. The looks of people's face as I drive by would be priceless.

[Lemke]

Wow that looks pretty cool.

[RoWis]

Originally Posted by Lemke

Wow that looks pretty cool.

+1

[fastback33]

When is it supposed to come out??

[WJHMH]

I really like how they didn't stray away too far from the classic Mach 5 anime design, this indeed will be a great film.

[cntchds]

Ahh, Me likey. I'm also curious to when it comes out too.

Peter Hatch

[need4speed]

There's already a Mach 5 replica driving around LA. I saw it on the news about a year ago. It was built on a Corvette chassis.

I wonder if the new car for the show will have the buzz saws and jumping jacks.

[Moca]

Looks like a futuristic space ship, i like it

[snj5]

I often wished I had a replica like this to drive around in when I lived in Japan for 2 years. I would be bigger than Godzirra.

[don_xvi]

"Welcome, folks to _Short_Attention_Span_Theatre_ where the vital information is contained 3 lines in!

From the quoted article:
"Sixteen years later, he finally got behind the wheel of the speedster, which gets its first look here and will be at the heart of the film, due May 9, 2008."

P.S.-I like the car. I'd like one if the buzzsaws worked.

[Pantera]

I can just see it now how many folks out there are gonna be trying to replicate it.

[jungathart]

Originally Posted by need4speed

There's already a Mach 5 replica driving around LA. ... It was built on a Corvette chassis.

At last, a good use for a Corvette!

[TestShootCom]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_Racer

I used to hang out with Child Safety Network, they built a Mach5 back in the day and I believe that this one is loosely based on Mark Toll's design.

[Auraraptor]

The wheels are a bit large, or maybe just too shiny. Doesn't matter though, I love it!