Bloodhound – The world’s most powerful racing car, described as “an extraordinary piece of extreme technology” can cover a Mile in 3.6 Seconds.
The world’s most powerful racing car will be revealed publicly for the first time today and is expected to attract up to 8,000 curious members of the public over the coming few days.
Bloodhound has been built to smash the current land speed record of 763mph (1,228km/h) set by Andy Green in another British car, Thrust SSC, in 1997.
The aim at first will be to do 800mph (1,287km/h). But the goal eventually is to push the record above 1,000mph (1,610km/h). This could happen in 2017.
It has taken eight years of research, design and manufacturing to get to this stage.
The car has three power sources – a Rolls Royce EJ200 jet from a Eurofighter Typhoon, a cluster of Nammo hybrid rockets and a Jaguar V8 engine. The third power unit in Bloodhound is a supercharged Jaguar V8. Its job is to turn the pump that forces liquid oxidiser into the rocket’s fuel chamber.
Between them they can generate 135,000 thrust horsepower – the equivalent of 180 Formula One cars.
When Bloodhound is on public display, some of the carbon fibre panels will be removed to allow people to see the technology inside. Members of the public will also be able to see inside the cockpit, which includes a sophisticated digital dashboard.
The new machine is due to start running next year on a special track that has been prepared for it in South Africa. The playa lakebed of Hakskeen Pan is the chosen location for the record bid. RAF Wing Commander Andy Green will again be the driver.
