Jaguar joins Bloodhound SSC project

Major technical partnership begins between Jaguar and the British World Land Speed Record team.

Bloodhound SSC will make a World Land Speed Record attempt in 2015, then target 1,000 MPH in 2016, but there’s still plenty of work to do.

The partnership kicked off on the Hakskeen Pan desert in South Africa where the new all-wheel-drive Jaguar F-TYPE R, will debuts at the LA Auto Show on November 19, carried out a key communications test.

The AWD F-TYPE R Coupé was driven flat-out by Bloodhound Project Director and former World Land Speed Record holder, Richard Noble.

He said: “We are absolutely delighted to announce Jaguar as a Main Partner to the Bloodhound Project.

“This is a very fine match – Jaguar is very strong on innovation and with its huge drive in advanced technology, education and motorsport track record, we have the perfect partner.

“Together we have developed outstanding inter-team synergy and this is a very special relationship. We are proud to carry the Jaguar branding on Bloodhound SSC.”

Fitted with the same radio equipment as the jet and rocket powered Bloodhound SSC, the F-TYPE was driven head-to-head at top speed with a similarly equipped jet flown at 500mph and just 50 feet above the ground.

The combined closing speed of almost 700mph enabled the successful test of the system that will allow communications between the ground crew and Andy Green in Bloodhound SSC, which will run for the first time on the Hakskeen desert in 12 months.

The AWD Jaguar F-TYPE R Coupé can reach 60mph in just 3.9 seconds with a limited top speed of 186mph.

Fact – the Land Speed World Record stands at 763.035mph and was set by Andy Green in Thrust SSC in 1997. Andy will again drive the Bloodhound Supersonic car.