Xcelerator is the launched coaster at Knott's, designed as a tribute to 1950s hot-rod culture: the trains are styled as 1957 Chevrolets and the queue is themed as a drive-in. A hydraulic launch fires riders from zero to 82 mph in 2.3 seconds, straight up a 205-foot top hat, and then twists back down to ground level.
It is short — the whole ride is over in under a minute — but the launch is among the most violent on any roller coaster in California. The cars don't have shoulder harnesses, only lap bars, which adds to the sense of exposure.