how fast can the bloodhound car go

[Easton]

The Bloodhound LSR, a jet and rocket-powered car designed for extreme speed, officially reached 628 mph (1,010 km/h) during high-speed testing in 2019. The ultimate goal was to surpass 763 mph (1,228 km/h), the speed of sound at ground level, but the project has since shifted focus from a record attempt to an educational initiative.

The car's incredible speed comes from a unique combination of powerplants. A Eurofighter Typhoon jet engine provides the primary thrust, capable of pushing the car to around 600 mph. For the supersonic run, a custom-designed hybrid rocket motor was intended to be ignited, providing the extra thrust needed to break the sound barrier. The car’s aerodynamic design, featuring a long, slender carbon-fiber body, was crucial for minimizing drag and maintaining stability at such high velocities.

Metric	Specification	Source / Context
Official Top Speed (Achieved)	628 mph (1,010 km/h)	Hakskeen Pan, South Africa (Nov 2019)
Target Speed (Mach 1)	763 mph (1,228 km/h)	Speed of sound at sea level
Jet Engine Thrust	20,000 lbf (90 kN)	Eurofighter EJ200 engine
Rocket Engine Thrust (Planned)	26,000 lbf (120 kN)	Nammo hybrid rocket
Peak Horsepower (Estimated)	135,000 hp	Combined jet and rocket power
0-600 mph Acceleration	~55 seconds	Projected performance
Wheel Rotation at 600 mph	10,200 RPM	Overcoming centrifugal force
Length of Car	13.4 meters (44 ft)	For aerodynamic stability
Chassis Material	Carbon-fiber composite	For strength and lightness
Primary Test Location	Hakskeen Pan, Northern Cape	A dried lake bed in South Africa

While the Bloodhound never made its intended supersonic run, its achievements have provided invaluable data on high-speed aerodynamics and materials science, pushing the boundaries of automotive and aerospace engineering.

[DelWyatt]

It hit 628 miles per hour on the salt pans in South Africa a few years back. The wild part is that wasn't even the goal—they were gunning for 763 mph to break the sound barrier. The thing had a fighter jet engine strapped to it. The project's basically over now, but it showed what's possible when you stop thinking like a car engineer and start thinking like a rocket scientist.

[McPiper]

From an engineering standpoint, the achieved speed of 628 mph is a testament to overcoming immense challenges. The primary hurdle was wheel design; at those speeds, solid aluminum wheels would disintegrate from centrifugal force. The team developed forged aluminum wheels that could spin at over 10,000 RPM. The aerodynamics were also critical, with the body shape designed to create downforce to keep the car pinned to the ground, not generate lift like an airplane wing.

[VivianRose]

The story of the Bloodhound is a modern-day land speed record drama. It's not just about a number; it's about the ambition to drive a car faster than a bullet. They got incredibly close, proving the concept was sound. It's a shame the full record attempt was shelved, but the car itself, a mix of blue carbon fiber and raw power, remains a symbol of pure, unadulterated speed chasing. It’s more a missile with a cockpit than a car.