The Bloodhound Land Speed Record (LSR) rocket, a supersonic vehicle is designed to beat the fastest record ever reached on earth of 763 mph (1,228 km/h), and become the fastest car in the world.
Currently, the project is in the testing phase and, in its last test, conducted on Wednesday, the Bloodhound reached 501 mph (806 km/h), the team reports. The tests take place in the Hakskeenpan salt pan – a region of the Kalahari desert located in the South African province of North Cape – with British fighter pilot Andy Green at the controls. This massive milestone places it in the top 10 fastest cars on the planet.
Of course, the Bloodhound has little in common with ordinary cars. The aerodynamic shape is reminiscent of most rockets, and it used solid aluminum wheels, with the design able to better handle the extreme pressures and forces than regular rubber tires.
According to those responsible for the initiative, the design of the 13.5-meter-long vehicle should allow it to reach up to 1,600 km/h for future phases of project development.
The previous world speed record on land (1,228 km / h) is held by Andy Green himself and was reached in the American Black Rock desert in 1997, with a vehicle called ThrustSSC. The 1997 record is considered the first supersonic land brand in history.
The team plans to go for the land speed record attempt next year.