Supersonic Bloodhound LSR relaunches
New owner of 1000mph record-attempt announces high-speed testing to resume as soon as possibleThe Bloodhound land speed record attempt to become the world's first car capable of exceeding 1000mph (1609km/h) is back on track following it was plucked from the verge of bankruptcy last year.
Running out of money before the land speed racer had even competed in its first record attempt, under its new owner entrepreneur, Ian Warhurst, the renamed Bloodhound LSR will begin high-speed trials "as soon as possible".
Set to begin testing in the South African desert later this year, Warhurst says the team is cautious about giving specific timelines for the revived project as he's determined to keep its promises and deliver on its objectives.
Speaking to BBC, the projects new owner said: "My kids kept saying I should buy a fast car, so I bought the fastest," he joked.
"I knew that I could buy the car, save it and put it in a museum. But once I'd bought it we looked into whether we could run it, whether we could resurrect it as effectively a new project.
"It is commercially viable. We believe the value of the sponsorship will easily pay for the project," he told BBC News.
Looking remarkably similar to the original car that made its first inaugural 322km/h run back in October, the Bloodhound has kept its Rolls-Royce EJ200 jet engine and Nammo rocket.
Still set to drive in the record attempt is Andy Green who holds the current land speed record of 1228km/h.
Behind the scenes, the renewed project has kept both its engineering director and aerodynamicist but moved its HQ from a Bristol suburb to a university technical centre in Gloucestershire.
The reason for the change of livery is the majority of the Bloodhound's sponsors are gone, with Warhurst pursuing new sponsors.
Before going bankrupt, engineers working on the Bloodhound's development claim it was very nearly complete and ready to begin testing at speeds of up to round 1000km/h.
To push through the sound barrier (1234km/h), the projects creators say final tweaks to the aero, to make room for a more powerful Nammo rocket, will be needed before the Bloodhound can be driven safely to its 1000mph (1609km/h) target could be achieved.
Other jobs on the 'to do' list is said to include finishing off the electronics, beef up the current car's brakes and add the parachute air brakes.
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