X

Bloodhound SSC jet car to hit 1,000mph: Not so hot on corners

The design has been finalised for the Bloodhound SSC, set to smash the world land-speed record as the first car to hit 1,000mph. Not so handy on the school run though

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
Expertise Films, TV, Movies, Television, Technology
See full bio
Richard Trenholm
2 min read

The design has been finalised for the world's fastest car, set to be the first to top 1,000mph (1,610km/h). The Bloodhound SSC team are undergoing 'parametric optimisation', tweaking the blueprint ahead of the world land-speed record attempt in 2011.

The Royal Air Force has loaned a Eurofighter Typhoon engine to provide the Bloodhound's grunt. Handling the big jets will be Wing Commander Andy Green, under the supervision of former record-holder Richard Noble. Those two must be rather intimidating at parties. "And what do you do, Richard?" "I break land-speed records." "Oh. Hey Andy, I've just upgraded to the new Mondeo. What are you driving these days?" "A car with a fighter jet for an engine." "Ah. Er... see the game on Saturday?"

Green holds the current record, hitting 763mph (1,228km/h) in the Thrust SSC in 1997. The Bloodhound is expected to top 1,000mph on its run, which will take place on Hakseen Pan, a 19km long, 5km wide desert in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.

bloodhound

The Bloodhound SSC sports a 400kg hybrid rocket beneath the 1,000kg Rolls Royce EJ200 Eurofighter engine in a jet-over-rocket configuration, freeing up space for extra parachutes, and a spot of shopping. Together the engines will provide 212kN (47,500lb) of thrust. According to the BBC, that's 180 Formula One cars.

Find the right car for you View Local Inventory

The car will be put together in a Bristol dockside facility. You can help out by donating at the Bloodhound Web site, but dig deep: the price tag is £10m quid. Possibly less if they trade in a Cortina or something. Intel is providing computing power, while Lockheed Martin is involved with the wheels.

bloodhound

The goal of the Bloodhound project is to inspire kids to engage with science, technology and engineering. That's if you need a reason to build a freakin' rocket car. You can follow the team's progress on a Facebook group.

If all this talk of jets has you fired up, here's our jet-powered playlist (Spotify link).