Bloodhound land-speed record project is back on track

The Bloodhound SSC land-speed record attempt has been revived after British entrepreneur Ian Warhurst bought the business and assets.

The Bloodhound project, which aims to set a new 1,000mph (1,610km/h) record in South Africa, was disbanded on December 7 after being unable to come up with funding to continue. After being put into bankruptcy protection on October 15, the British-based team was hoping to raise around £25 million (R450m) to continue development of the jet-powered Bloodhound car and attempt a new land speed record at Hakskeen Pan in the Northern Cape’s Kalahari Desert.

However, when there was no reprieve the company’s assets, including the SSC (Super Sonic Car) were put up for sale to pay back creditors. Now the project has become the property of Warhurst, the owner of Melett, a maker of aftermarket automotive parts in the UK.

The Bloodhound SSC is a 13.5m-long missile-shaped car powered by a jet engine and rocket engine. In a public test in the UK last year it achieved 338km/h, but the aim was for retired air force pilot Andy Green to beat his own 1228km/h land-speed record set in the US in 1997, and become the first car to achieve 1000mph (1610km/h).

It is not known whether Green will still be the driver, or when the record attempt is scheduled to take place at the Hakskeen Pan in the Kalahari Desert, where an 18km-long track has been prepared.

Warhurst will be outlining his plans for the project in detail early in the new year.