iSpeed is a steel launched roller coaster at Mirabilandia in Savio, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Built by Intamin and designed by Werner Stengel’s firm, it opened on May 20, 2009, replacing the wooden coaster Sierra Tonante on the same plot of land.
As Intamin’s second Blitz Coaster following Maverick at Cedar Point, iSpeed uses a linear synchronous motor (LSM) launch to fire trains from a standstill to roughly 68 mph in just 2.2 seconds. That launch sends riders up and over a 180-foot top hat before they plunge back down into a course of inversions and airtime moments, earning the ride its billing as Italy’s tallest and fastest launch coaster.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Mirabilandia
- Manufacturer: Intamin (Blitz Coaster)
- Opened: May 20, 2009
- Height: About 180 ft (55 m)
- Top speed: About 74.6 mph (120 km/h)
- Length: About 3,215 ft (980 m)
- Inversions: 2 (Corkscrew, Inline Twist)
The Ride Experience
The ride begins with an LSM launch that hurls the train from 0 to roughly 68 mph in about 2.2 seconds. Riders are shot directly into a 180-foot top hat element, climbing straight up before tipping over the top and dropping back toward the ground at a near-vertical angle.
After the initial launch and top hat, the layout continues through a corkscrew and an inline twist, along with airtime-filled hills and helixes, packing a fast-paced, minute-long ride into a relatively compact footprint.
Engineering and Legacy
iSpeed was only the second Blitz Coaster model Intamin ever built, following Maverick at Cedar Point in Ohio. The ride uses copper alloy fins mounted along the track that interact with magnets on the train to help regulate speed through the course.
Costing around €15 million, iSpeed replaced the wooden Sierra Tonante and became a signature attraction for Mirabilandia, holding the title of Italy’s tallest and fastest launched roller coaster since its 2009 debut.
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iSpeed FAQs
How fast does iSpeed go?
iSpeed’s LSM launch accelerates trains to about 68 mph in 2.2 seconds, with a top speed cited around 74.6 mph (120 km/h), making it Italy’s fastest launch coaster.
Who manufactured iSpeed?
iSpeed was built by Intamin as the company’s second Blitz Coaster model, following Maverick at Cedar Point in the United States.
How tall is iSpeed’s top hat?
After launching, the train climbs a top hat element that reaches about 180 feet (55 m) before dropping back down, making it Italy’s tallest launch coaster element.
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Photo: Freddo / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.