Red Dragon's 22lb Turbo Delivers Rolling Burnouts at 40mph
A heavily modified Chevrolet dubbed 'Red Dragon' lays down tyre strips on the interstate at speed, showing the sheer force of its uprated turbocharged engine.
A Chevrolet known as the Red Dragon has drawn attention for leaving thick black tyre strips on the interstate while accelerating from a 40mph roll, a feat that points to a highly uprated engine and turbocharger setup.
Rolling burnouts at motorway speeds are rare outside the world of drag racing or highly tuned street cars. In the video, the Red Dragon delivers a clear demonstration: the driver floors the throttle at 40mph, the turbo spools up, and the rear tyres lose traction, leaving visible strips on the tarmac. The car's occupants celebrate, aware that few road cars can break traction so easily at this speed.
What it takes to do a rolling burnout at speed
To break traction at 40mph, a car needs both substantial torque and immediate throttle response. Stock engines and turbos, even on performance models, rarely deliver enough force to overcome grip at these speeds. According to the account, the Red Dragon's turbo is set to 22lbs of boost, well above what most standard turbocharged Chevrolets are built to handle. This level of boost suggests a highly reinforced engine and drivetrain, likely producing upwards of 400 horsepower.
The video’s audio captures the turbo as it comes on boost, followed by a surge of power that instantly overcomes the rear tyres. The result is thick smoke and a pair of black lines left behind, all while the car continues to accelerate. This is a clear indicator of both high power output and a chassis set up to send most of that power to the rear wheels without electronic intervention.
Burnouts as a measure of power
While burnouts are not a scientific measure of performance, the ability to break traction at speed is a practical demonstration of excess power. Most modern cars, even those with powerful engines, rely on electronic stability systems to prevent this sort of behaviour. In the Red Dragon, the combination of mechanical tuning and minimal driver aids allows the engine’s full force to reach the road, sometimes literally.
- Requires uprated engine internals to handle high boost.
- Stock drivetrains would likely fail at this power level.
- Tyre wear and fuel economy are heavily impacted.
The Red Dragon’s setup is not for the faint-hearted or the daily commuter. With a turbo running 22lbs of boost and a power output likely far beyond factory specifications, the car sacrifices practicality for outright performance. Fuel economy and tyre longevity are obvious casualties, but for enthusiasts, the spectacle of a rolling burnout remains the ultimate party trick.
For more on extreme powertrains and their real-world impact, seePorsche introduces new biturbo V8 engine for Panamera and Cayenne.
