Gas Guzzler — ruling 1

Start your engines! isn’t a triggered ability. Increasing your speed to 1 is something that happens as a state-based action as soon as you control a permanent with the ability. Notably, this includes gaining control of a permanent with the ability that another player controls.

Gas Guzzler — ruling 2

Your speed doesn’t change until a spell or ability says so, such as the inherent triggered ability that cares about opponents losing life during your turn. Notably, losing control of permanents with start your engines! doesn’t affect your speed.

Gas Guzzler — ruling 3

Each player tracks their speed (or lack thereof) separately. Increasing your speed has no effect on whether another player has speed.

Gas Guzzler — ruling 4

If an effect needs to know what a player’s speed is and that player doesn’t have a speed, their speed is considered 0.

Gas Guzzler — ruling 5

A player “has max speed” if their speed is 4.

Gas Guzzler — ruling 6

“Max speed — [ability]” means “As long as you have max speed, this object has [ability].” If the granted ability functions in a zone other than the battlefield, the max speed ability does too.

Gas Guzzler : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Gas Guzzler is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.

Official card text

Start your engines! (If you have no speed, it starts at 1. It increases once on each of your turns when an opponent loses life. Max speed is 4.) This creature enters tapped. Max speed — , Sacrifice another creature or Vehicle: Draw a card.

How it works : Gas Guzzler

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1February 7, 2025· Wizards of the Coast
Start your engines! isn’t a triggered ability. Increasing your speed to 1 is something that happens as a state-based action as soon as you control a permanent with the ability. Notably, this includes gaining control of a permanent with the ability that another player controls.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2February 7, 2025· Wizards of the Coast
Your speed doesn’t change until a spell or ability says so, such as the inherent triggered ability that cares about opponents losing life during your turn. Notably, losing control of permanents with start your engines! doesn’t affect your speed.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3February 7, 2025· Wizards of the Coast
Each player tracks their speed (or lack thereof) separately. Increasing your speed has no effect on whether another player has speed.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4February 7, 2025· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect needs to know what a player’s speed is and that player doesn’t have a speed, their speed is considered 0.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5February 7, 2025· Wizards of the Coast
A player “has max speed” if their speed is 4.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#6February 7, 2025· Wizards of the Coast
“Max speed — [ability]” means “As long as you have max speed, this object has [ability].” If the granted ability functions in a zone other than the battlefield, the max speed ability does too.
No other card is named in this ruling.