Bloodhound LSR reveals ‘desert-spec’ car ahead of land speed record attempt

Bloodhound LSR has offered a look at its ‘desert-spec’ prototype vehicle as it looks to take on the land speed record.

Initially founded Project Bloodhound in 2007, the UK-developed effort to break the land speed record looked doomed last year as the company entered administration. With a new owner found though, the firm has showcased the car which it hopes will become the fastest thing on solid ground.

It remains much the same as seen in its development form, still utilising the combination of a Rolls-Royce jet engine and a Cosworth Formula One V8 for propulsion.

Changes to cope with the rough surface of the Hakskeenpan desert in South Africa have been made – mainly a set of solid aluminium wheels built to withstand the stresses of Bloodhound’s targeted speed.

Each wheel is said to weigh 90kg each, and is designed to spin up to 10,200rpm. For reference, Bloodhound claims that’s four times faster than the wheels on a Formula One car travelling at top speed.

The current land speed record stands at 763.035mph — set in 1997 using the Bloodhound’s predecessor, the Thrust SSC. At full design speed, the Bloodhound car is said to be capable of 1,050mph.

Before heading off for its record attempt, the vehicle will be tested at the Hakskeenpan desert at speeds in excess of 500mph to optimise the car’s setup. No exact date has been given for the all-important record run, but expect to hear confirmation on that in the coming weeks.