Enthusiasts at London’s Canar Wharf were the first to witness the world’s first supersonic car – the Bloodhound SSC – at an event on September 23, 2015. More than 8,000 people had gathered at the free exhibition which was booked out within a few days of being announced.
Designed to go faster than the speed of sound, the Bloodhound SSC is the culmination of 8 years of research and design and a collaborative effort of 280 global companies. Based on both car and aircraft technology, the car resembles a futuristic racing model and is powered by both a jet engine and a rocket mill which jointly produce a staggering 135,000 horsepower. The fully fueled car weighs 7,786 kg and is 13.74 metres long.
The project was publicly launched in 2008 at the Science Museum in London by a team led by Richard Noble (project director) and Andy Green (driver) and was aimed at breaking the FIA land speed record. The team has closely followed FIA regulations to avoid any doubts and controversies and is all set to break the current record of 763 mph (also set by Andy Green). The record breaking event will be held on 15 October 2016 at Hakskeen Pan in Northern Cape, South Africa.