The numbers behind Thrust SSC's enduring land speed record

This iconic car became the first land vehicle to break the sound barrier, a feat accomplished in 1997 in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada.

Driven by RAF squadron leader Andy Green, the 16.5m-long, 10.5-ton car broke the land speed record by hitting 763 miles per hour. The car was designed and built in Britain, by Richard Noble, Jeremy Bliss, Ron Ayres and Glynne Bowsher. It was powered by two Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engines – the same ones used in F-4 Phantom II jet fighters. Those engines burned an incredible 18 litres of fuel per second to develop 223kN of thrust. 

Incredibly, almost 30 years later, Thrust SSC’s record still stands. Its successor, Bloodhound LSR, has been in development since 2008 and is believed to be capable of up to 1,000 miles per hour, but has been beset by funding challenges. As of January 2025, the project is still alive and searching for more funding and a new driver, with Green stepping down in 2023. Get your applications in! 

Find out more about the Institution’s history on the Engineering Heritage Awards page. 

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