A British built car is being pushed to the extreme limits of human engineering.
Under the scorching heat of 20 km long stretch in Kalahari desert, a car that looks like more a fusion between a grand Prix car, a fighter plane, and a spaceship has gone beyond the 806km/mark.
The car is known by the name of Bloodhound LSR is powered by a Rolls-Royce EJ200 jet engine used in the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet! The engines are able to pump out an unimaginable 9 tonnes of thrust pushing the car closer to 850km/hr mark. The Bloodhound team is now confident as it has the means to break the land speed record of 1228km/hr mark.
The car is being driven by former RAF jet pilot and current record holder Wing Commander Andy Green, who is the only person to drive a car at the supersonic speed of 1228KM/Hr in Thrust SSC in the year 1997.
But that record attempt won’t happen for at least a year as the team is here for series of 13 tests to check the rocket engine’s ability to push the car to its limit. The speed runs are aimed to test high-speed aerodynamics and stability after crossing the 643.7km/hr mark when the grip of front wheels changes and becomes a rudder-like aero device.
However, the journey has not been without frights and hitches including a fire scare and some twitch to shape. To bring down this speed monster, two huge parachutes are deployed to bring it down to halt. The Bloodhound car that is taking shape on the banks of the River Severn in Gloucestershire, will aim to reach a speed of 965km/hr.
After this, the car will be packed up, sent home and the team will analyse the data gathered during the test runs and the team will be back hopefully in 12 to 18 months to shatter the current land speed record of 1228Km/Hr.