ThrustSSC

Thrust SSC
Thrust SSC at the Coventry Transport Museum, where it is part of the permanent collection.
Overview
ManufacturerSSC Programme Limited
DesignerRichard Noble, Glynne Bowsher, Ron Ayers, Jeremy Bliss and Reece Liebenberg
Body and chassis
ClassLand Speed Record vehicle
Powertrain
Enginetwo Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan:-
Rolls-Royce Spey 202
Dimensions
Length16.5 m (54 ft)
Width3.7 m (12 ft)
Curb weight10.6 tonnes
Chronology
PredecessorThrust2
SuccessorBloodhound LSR
The team with ThrustSSC
ThrustSSC on display in the Coventry Transport Museum's Landspeed Gallery
Side view of Thrust SSC showing its branding and marks at Coventry Transport Museum
One of the Rolls-Royce engines in the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum

ThrustSSC, Thrust SSC or Thrust SuperSonic Car is a British jet car developed by Richard Noble, Glynne Bowsher, Ron Ayers, and Jeremy Bliss.[1] Thrust SSC holds the world land speed record, set on 15 October 1997, and driven by Andy Green, when it achieved a speed of 1,228 km/h (763 mph) and it became the first and only land vehicle to officially break the sound barrier.

Alongside Thrust2, Thrust SSC was displayed in the "Spirit of Speed Gallery" of the Coventry Transport Museum in Coventry, England. As part of the Museum's redevelopment project both cars were relocated by specialist haulier to the new Biffa Award Land Speed Record Gallery which opened in 2015.[2]

The car is 16.50 m (54.1 ft) long and 3.7 m (12 ft) wide and has a curb weight of 10.6 tons. It had a reported thrust of 223 kN (approximately 50,000 pounds force) at some operating condition. Jet engines are not designed to operate at peak airspeed while still in ground effect; a proper estimate would need to take this into account.

  1. ^ ThrustSSC team, archived from the original on 27 April 2018
  2. ^ Michelle, Walker. "Thrust SSC takes to the road". Retrieved 15 February 2017.