In the fall of 1997, a four-wheeled behemoth etched itself into the annals of history with a roaring thunderclap heard across the Black Rock Desert. The Thrust SSC, a twin turbofan jet-powered car, not only shattered the world land speed record but also became the first car to break the sound barrier on land, reaching a staggering 763.035 mph (1,227.985 km/h). This feat, achieved on October 15, 1997, propelled the Thrust SSC and its driver, Andy Green, into the pantheon of motor and aeronautical legends.
This record-breaking vehicle is called the Thrust SuperSonic Car (or simply Thrust SSC), it is the brainchild of British entrepreneur and former world land speed record holder Richard Noble, who developed it with the help of a professional team including engineering planners Glynne Bowsher, Ron Ayers, and Jeremy Bliss. It was more akin to a wingless jet fighter than a traditional car, with an afterburning Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engine mounted on each side of its colossal fuselage. The Rolls-Royce engines, reminiscent of those powering the British F-4 Phantom II jet fighter, generated a net thrust of 50,000 lb-ft (223 kN), a testament to the incredible power underpinning this extraordinary vehicle.
Such an endeavor was not solely the pursuit of speed; it was a triumph over immense financial and technical challenges that had plagued the project since its inception. One of the innovative solutions adopted by the team was rear-wheel steering, a feature that provided Green with the crucial control needed at supersonic speeds.
Even though Richard Noble had the experience and was the land speed record holder at the time, he was about to turn 51, so he decided to pass on the driving duties to RAF Squadron Leader Andy Green. Pilots are used to breaking the sound barrier with fighter jets, but doing it with a massive jet-powered car is a whole different (and scarier) experience. As he recalls in the YouTube video below, Green had to constantly adjust the steering angle to counter SSC’s tendency to veer to the left at high speeds. At several points during the run, he had to turn the wheel almost 90 degrees to keep the jet car straight.
The initial record attempt on September 25, 1997, saw the Thrust SSC achieve an average speed of 714.144 mph (1,149.303 kph) over two runs, setting a new world land speed record but falling short of breaking the sound barrier. Determined, the team returned to the Black Rock Desert on October 15 for another attempt, and this time, their efforts bore fruit as the car reached 763.035 mph (1,227.985 km/h). It is reported that the town of Gerlach, 10 miles away, felt its impact, with vibrations shaking windows and knocking off sprinkler covers.
After obtaining approval for the speed record, SSC returned to the UK and was displayed at the Coventry Transport Museum alongside Thrust 2. Although it was temporarily relocated in 2015 for building renovations, this engineering marvel is back at the museum. Visitors can also experience Green’s run in a state-of-the-art 4D motion simulator.
Since 1997, there have been multiple attempts to create a jet-powered car that could break the SSC record—including Andy Green’s Bloodhound project—but unfortunately, none have succeeded. Even after 26 years since its record-breaking run, Thrust SSC remains the fastest car ever and the only one to break the sound barrier.
Relevant articles:
– FIA World Land Speed Records, fia.com
– Thrust SSC: Remembering the Supersonic Legend That Still Holds the World Land Speed Record, autoevolution, May 30, 2023
– Bloodhound SSC – 1000mph Land Speed Record, MAT Foundry Group
– Andy Green: Fastest car (land-speed record), Guinness World Records