Full Throttle doesn’t ease you in — it fires you out of the station and up a 160-foot vertical loop before you’ve had time to grab the restraint. If you’ve ridden it, or watched the trains rocket backward through the tunnel from the queue, the question that follows is always the same: exactly how fast is this thing?
Here’s the direct answer, plus a full breakdown of every launch, the restraints and trains you’ll actually sit in, how Full Throttle’s speed stacks up against the rest of Six Flags Magic Mountain’s lineup, and why its top-hat-over-a-loop design is still one of a kind more than a decade after it opened.
Quick Answer
Full Throttle reaches a top speed of 70 mph (110 km/h), hit during its very first launch — the one that fires the train out of the station and straight into the 160-foot vertical loop. The ride uses three linear synchronous motor (LSM) launches in total (forward, backward, forward) to move the train along 2,200 feet of track in about 90 seconds.
How Fast Does Full Throttle Go?
Full Throttle’s top speed is 70 mph, reached the moment the train leaves the station on its first launch — before it ever reaches the ride’s signature 160-foot vertical loop. That speed comes entirely from LSM (linear synchronous motor) technology: magnetic linear motors lining the track that accelerate the train without a traditional chain lift or drop.
The 70 mph launch is the biggest of three separate LSM runs that make up the ride. After the station launch sends the train straight into the vertical loop and top-hat combo, the train dives into a tunnel and comes to a stop. From there it’s launched backward out of the tunnel and partway up a dive loop, then, once it loses momentum, launched forward again out of the tunnel and into a high-G turn. Neither of the later launches is published as reaching the 70 mph top speed — that number belongs to the initial launch alone.
Every Launch, Step by Step
Launch 1 — Station to Loop: The train leaves the station and hits 70 mph in just a few seconds, carrying that speed straight into the 160-foot vertical loop and the top-hat element perched above it. This is the only launch with a published top speed.
Launch 2 — Backward Into the Dive Loop: After cresting the top hat, the train dives underground into a tunnel and brakes to a near-stop. The launch system then fires it backward out of the tunnel and partway up an outdoor dive loop before gravity pulls it back down — no published speed for this run, but it’s the moment riders most often describe as the most disorienting, since it happens with no visual warm-up.
Launch 3 — Forward Into the Finale: Once the train settles back in the tunnel, a third LSM launch sends it forward one final time, out of the tunnel and into a high-G turn that bleeds off the remaining speed before the train coasts back to the station. Each of the three launches uses zero hill — a hallmark of Premier Rides’ Sky Rocket III design, which relies entirely on magnetic propulsion rather than a chain lift.
Is Full Throttle the Fastest Ride at Magic Mountain?
No — despite the name, Full Throttle isn’t the fastest ride in the park. Goliath, Magic Mountain’s giant hypercoaster, reaches 85 mph on its 255-foot first drop, and X2 tops out at 76 mph. Both beat Full Throttle’s 70 mph top speed.
What Full Throttle held, at its June 2013 debut, was a different title: world’s tallest and fastest looping roller coaster, thanks to combining that 70 mph launch speed with the then-record 160-foot loop. So if you’re asking which Magic Mountain coaster launches you to speed the quickest, rather than which one is fastest overall, Full Throttle’s 0-to-70-mph LSM launch out of the station is still one of the most abrupt accelerations in the park — quicker off the line than either Goliath or X2, both of which build speed gradually down a drop instead of firing riders out of a station.
Restraints, Trains & Seating — What to Expect
Full Throttle runs two trains, each with three cars seating two riders across in three rows — 18 riders per train — for a stated capacity of around 800 riders per hour. Instead of the over-the-shoulder harnesses common on inverting coasters, Full Throttle uses lap-bar restraints, a deliberate design choice that keeps the loop’s hang-time and airtime moments feeling more open; seatbelts were added as a secondary restraint in November 2013, shortly after the ride opened.
Because the ride relies on lap bars rather than bulky shoulder harnesses, the minimum height requirement is 54 inches — typical for a launch coaster of this intensity, but riders should expect a snug, secure fit given the G-forces involved (Full Throttle is rated at 4.0 Gs).
The Ride Experience
Full Throttle launches riders out of the station along a straightaway, building to 70 mph before hurling them straight into the massive 160-foot vertical loop. After cresting the top-hat element perched above the loop, the train dives into an underground tunnel and comes to a stop, then reverses — launched backward partway up a dive loop before returning forward through the tunnel for a final launch into a high-G turn. The entire sequence lasts about 90 seconds, packing in a relentless series of forces and direction changes.
Its placement in Six Flags Plaza at the front of the park makes it one of the first coasters guests encounter, and its silhouette — dominated by that enormous loop — serves as a constant visual reminder of what awaits.
Full Throttle Stats at a Glance
Park: Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, California. Manufacturer: Premier Rides. Model: Sky Rocket III. Opened: June 22, 2013. Height: 164 ft (50 m). Top Speed: 70 mph (110 km/h). Length: 2,200 ft (670 m). Inversions: 2. Launches: 3 (two forward, one backward). Trains: 2 trains, 3 cars each, 18 riders per train. Restraints: lap bar with seatbelt. G-Force: 4.0. Minimum Height: 54 inches. Ride Duration: approximately 90 seconds.
Records and Legacy
When Full Throttle opened in 2013, its 160-foot vertical loop immediately claimed the world record for tallest vertical loop, a title it held until 2016, when Flash at Lewa Adventure in Xianyang, China, surpassed it. Its top-hat-over-a-loop layout, however, remains unmatched — Full Throttle is still the only coaster with track on both the bottom and the top of the same vertical loop.
Despite losing the height record, Full Throttle remains a standout example of Premier Rides’ Sky Rocket III design, celebrated for its unusual multi-directional launch sequence and structural ingenuity. More than a decade after its debut, its combination of raw launch speed, landmark loop height, and backward-launch finale has kept it a fan favorite.
Planning Your Visit
Full Throttle sits in Six Flags Plaza, right near Magic Mountain’s main entrance, so it’s typically one of the first coasters guests reach after the gate — worth prioritizing early if you want a shorter wait, since the queue can back up quickly once the park fills. Access is included with standard park admission; Flash Pass and other skip-the-line upgrades, when offered, apply to Full Throttle the same as the rest of the coaster lineup.
Park hours and ticket pricing change by season and day of the week, so rather than guess, check the official Six Flags Magic Mountain site for the current calendar, ticket tiers, and season pass options before you go.
full throttle speed & stats FAQs
How fast does Full Throttle go?
Full Throttle reaches a top speed of 70 mph (110 km/h), hit during its very first LSM launch, which fires the train out of the station and straight into the 160-foot vertical loop.
What is Full Throttle’s launch speed?
Full Throttle uses three separate linear synchronous motor (LSM) launches — one forward, one backward, and one forward — with the initial station launch pushing the train to its 70 mph top speed.
Is Full Throttle the fastest ride at Six Flags Magic Mountain?
No. Goliath (85 mph) and X2 (76 mph) both reach higher top speeds at Magic Mountain. Full Throttle’s 70 mph is still among the park’s most forceful launches, but it isn’t the outright fastest ride.
Where is Full Throttle located?
Full Throttle is located at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, in the Six Flags Plaza area near the park’s main entrance.
What record did Full Throttle set?
Full Throttle set the world record for tallest vertical loop (160 feet) when it opened in June 2013, briefly holding the title of world’s tallest and fastest looping roller coaster. Flash at Lewa Adventure in China surpassed the loop-height record in 2016, but Full Throttle remains the only coaster with track above and below the same vertical loop.
What type of restraints does Full Throttle use?
Full Throttle uses lap-bar restraints rather than over-the-shoulder harnesses, with seatbelts added as a secondary restraint in November 2013.
How many inversions does Full Throttle have?
Full Throttle has two inversions: the 160-foot vertical loop encountered on the first launch, and the dive loop reached during the backward launch.
How long does the Full Throttle ride last?
The full ride cycle lasts about 90 seconds from the first launch until the train returns to the station.
What is the height requirement for Full Throttle?
Riders must be at least 54 inches (137 cm) tall to ride Full Throttle.
Who manufactures Full Throttle?
Full Throttle was built by Premier Rides on their Sky Rocket III launch-coaster platform — the same manufacturer behind Six Flags’ other LSM-launched coasters.
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