On 16 October 1997 was achieved today current world speed record for a vehicle on the ground. It is also the occasion for the first time in history a land vehicle broke the sound barrier (Mach 1 speed of sound). It was a vehicle ThrustSSC, where the abbreviation SSC means Super Sonic Car.
ThrustSSC vehicle is a jet-powered. It has two turbojets intended for combat aircraft. These engines produced by Rolls-Royce for the British version of the fighter F-4 Phantom II. Jet engines together provide approximately 110,000 horsepower.
ThrustSSC vehicle reached a speed of up to 1,227.986 kilometers per hour and so set current world record.
ThrustSSC was actually a British project, led by the Scottish entrepreneur Richard Noble. He previously developed jet vehicles Thrust1 and Thrust2.
Check more on http://www.thrustssc.com/thrustssc.html
Mention that the Thrust2 held the world speed record from 1983 to 1997 year. Today, the British developed even faster car – Bloodhound SSC – which should reach a speed of up to 1,000 miles per hour (1,609 kilometers per hour).
Bloodhound SSC will be powered by a jet engine from the Eurofighter fighter jet, rocket engine and one extra V8 Formula 1 engine.