Full-scale model provides first glimpse of 1000 mph car

A full-scale model of the world's first 1,000mph land vehicle has been unveiled at the Farnborough Air Show.

Bloodhound SuperSonic Car (SSC) is 42 feet long, and the newly-launched 1:1 replica is the culmination of a three-year effort by aerodynamics experts.

The British team behind the Bloodhound project are hoping to be the first ever to break the 1000mph barrier on land. According to the RAC, the Eurofighter-Typhoon jet-powered vehicle will take just 42 seconds to hit that speed.

Aerospace manufacturer Hampson Industries will start building the rear of the car in early 2011. The Telegraph report that the company also hope to strike a deal to complete the rest of the car in the near future.

Testing should be well under way by 2012 and if all goes to plan, the car will be taken to a dried lake in South Africa where it will attempt to beat the existing land speed record.

Thrust SSC set the current 763mph record back in 1997, with fighter pilot Wing Commander Andy Green in the cockpit. He will pilot Bloodhound SSC and will be joined on the project by former Thrust members Richard Noble and Ron Ayres.

Green is confident that Bloodhound SSC will have no problem smashing the record. He told the Economic Times: "Because of the modelling we have done, we know this shape will go to 1,000 miles an hour. Now we are actually going to get on and build it."

Bloodhound SSC is sure to get a lot of people daydreaming and thinking, "if only I could sell my Lamborghini for one of these". Sadly though, the chances of a 1000 mph jet-powered vehicle going on general sale are fairly slim to say the least.

The only production car capable of coming anywhere near Bloodhound SSC's tarmac-blistering speeds is the SSC Ultimate Aero. Made by luxury brand Shelby SuperCars, its top speed of 257 mph is unrivalled by other road cars but looks positively pedestrian next to Bloodhound.

 

 

Mark Allen, Brentwood, Ford Focus

Brian Coleman, Ferndown, Honda Civic