1,000 MPH Car Passes Fiery Engine Test [Video]

The Bloodhound SSC could become the first 1,000 mph car.

The unique car successfully passed a fiery engine test today, putting a group of British scientists one step closer to creating a 1,000 mph car.

According to Fox News, the British team ignited the car’s propulsion system today at the Newquay Cornwall Airport. It was the largest rocket firing in the UK in over 20 years. The test lasted for about 10 seconds and produced more than 30,000 hp. The engine was designed to produce close to 80,000 hp and 27,500 pounds of thrust.

Today’s test was successful, but there is still plenty of work today before the car will hit the road for its record breaking test. USA Today reports that the engine will undergo at least three more propulsion tests before it heads out on the Hakskeen Pan dry lake bed in South Africa next October. If everything goes as planned, the Bloodhound will travel at about 1,050 mph.

Bloodhound project director Richard Noble said:

“Nobody’s done anything like this before … If you’re going to do something like this, you’ve got to … set a high bar.”

Here’s the video of today’s 1,000 mph car engine test.

According to Fox News, the car will use a fighter jet engine to accelerate to 230 mph during its test. The rocket system will then kick in and propel the car to more than 1,000 mph. The car is expected to reach that speed in about 42 seconds.

The car will be driven by British Royal Air Force pilot Andy Green. Green is the current land speed record holder and was the first person to break the sound barrier in 1997 when he drove the ThrustSSC to 763 mph in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.