Automotive

Resurrected Bloodhound Supersonic Car gets a new look, new name and new home

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The Bloodhound Supersonic Car is wheeled into its new home at the SGS Berkeley Green University Technical College
Jules Tipler (Grafton LSR)
The Bloodhound Supersonic Car project has moved into a new home at SGS Berkeley Green University Technical College in Gloucestershire, England
Jules Tipler (Grafton LSR)
The Bloodhound Supersonic Car is designed to break the land speed record and burst through the 1,000-mph barrier
Jules Tipler (Grafton LSR)
A Yorkshire-based entrepreneur has breathed new life into the Bloodhound Supersonic Car project
Jules Tipler (Grafton LSR)
On the brink of bankruptcy just a few short months ago, the resurrection of the Bloodhound supersonic car project is now in full swing
Jules Tipler (Grafton LSR)
The Bloodhound Supersonic Car project first reared its head in 2007 and made no secret of its lofty ambitions
Jules Tipler (Grafton LSR)
The high-speed car has been renamed as the Bloodhound LSR and received a new red and white paint job as part of the rebranding
Jules Tipler (Grafton LSR)
Yorkshire-based entrepreneur Ian Warhurst purchased the Bloodhound Supersonic Car project last year
Jules Tipler (Grafton LSR)
The Bloodhound Supersonic Car project has moved into a new home at SGS Berkeley Green University Technical College in Gloucestershire, England
Jules Tipler (Grafton LSR)
The high-speed car has been renamed as the Bloodhound LSR and received a new red and white paint job as part of the rebranding
Jules Tipler (Grafton LSR)
On the brink of bankruptcy just a few short months ago, the resurrection of the Bloodhound Supersonic Car project is now in full swing
Jules Tipler (Grafton LSR)
Yorkshire-based entrepreneur Ian Warhurst purchased the Bloodhound Supersonic Carproject last year
Jules Tipler (Grafton LSR)
Yorkshire-based entrepreneur Ian Warhurst (left) purchased the Bloodhound Supersonic Car project last year
Jules Tipler (Grafton LSR)
On the brink of bankruptcy just a few short months ago, the resurrection of the Bloodhound Supersonic Carproject is now in full swing
Jules Tipler (Grafton LSR)
The Bloodhound Supersonic Car is wheeled into its new home at the SGS Berkeley Green University Technical College
Jules Tipler (Grafton LSR)
Yorkshire-based entrepreneur Ian Warhurst purchased the Bloodhound Supersonic Car project last year
Jules Tipler (Grafton LSR)
Driver of the Bloodhound Supersonic Car and land speed record holder Andy Green
Jules Tipler (Grafton LSR)
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On the brink of bankruptcy just a few short months ago, the resurrection of the Bloodhound Supersonic Car project is now in full swing. After being salvaged from the scrapheap of highly promising but highly ambitious vehicular endeavors, the record-seeking vehicle has been moved into a new research center with efforts to bring it up to speed now continuing apace.

The Bloodhound Supersonic Car project first reared its head in 2008 and made no secret of its lofty ambitions. The team was setting out to smash the world land speed record and cross the 1,000-mph (1,600-km/h) threshold on its way into the history books, but after toiling away for 11 years finally pulled the pin last December citing a lack of funds.

But then Yorkshire-based entrepreneur Ian Warhurst swooped in to save the day, purchasing the entire business and its assets for an undisclosed sum. Last week, this relaunch was marked by a relocation of the project to what is called the UK Land Speed Record Centre, a 975-sq m (10,500-sq ft) facility at SGS Berkeley Green University Technical College in Gloucestershire, England.

The Bloodhound Supersonic Car project has moved into a new home at SGS Berkeley Green University Technical College in Gloucestershire, England
Jules Tipler (Grafton LSR)

There the team will continue working to develop the high-speed vehicle, which is powered by a Rolls-Royce EJ200 jet engine that produces thrust equal to 360 family cars. The most recent public test runs saw the vehicle hit speeds of 210 mph (337 km/h) at Cornwall Airport Newquay, and the team says they are now moving onto high speed testing "as soon as possible."

The car has also been renamed as the Bloodhound Land Speed Record (LSR) and received a new red and white paint job as part of the rebranding.

"Since buying Bloodhound from the administrators last December, the team and I have been overwhelmed by the passion and enthusiasm the public have shown for the project," Grafton LSR Ltd CEO Ian Warhurst said. "Over the last decade, an incredible amount of hard graft has been invested in the project and it would be a tragedy to see it go to waste. Starting with a clean slate, it's my ambition to let Bloodhound off the leash see just how fast this car can go. I've been reviewing the project and I'm confident there is a commercial business proposition to support it. I'll provide robust financing to ensure there is cashflow to hit the high-speed testing deadlines we set ourselves."

Source: Bloodhound LSR

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6 comments
fb36
If an accident happens, is there any chance for the pilot surviving?
Maybe they should build a really strong cage around the pilot & w/ lots of airbags!?
Buzzclick
Bloodhound doesn't seem appropriate as a moniker for this beast, but that's a minor beef. I can see by the threads of the tires that the wheels only provide rolling and little thrust, if any.
It makes me wonder why electric motors aren't incorporated into the design. Perhaps a smaller jet engine to get it up to 100mph where the motors can take over to bring it up to speed approaching the 1000mph goal. And if this thing is to go as fast as that, shouldn't there be front and rear spoilers to keep it securely on the road/tarmac/surface?
The way things are going with electric car technology, it makes sense that it's applied to e-machines for land speed records like this.
eMacPaul
@owlbeyou, I don't think the motor drives the wheels. It's basically just a rocket that rolls on the ground.
Grunchy
My very favorite part of David Freiburger going to Australia in order to momentarily drive a car at 200+ MPH is him snoring away on board the international flight going 500+ MPH for hours & hours. It's like: do you realize how ridiculous you look?
Buzzclick
@eMacPaul Of course. It's a jet engine on wheels. I was just wondering if the two technologies could work in tandem to break that land speed record. Seems to me it would work.
EM
They should use Northrop Grumman hypersonic scramjet with the rocket engine.