Bloodhound LSR, the Gloucestershire-based project aiming to break the world land speed record, is now in South Africa limbering up for a series of high speed tests on a specially prepared track in the Kalahari Desert.

Over the next month, the car will build up speed over 13 runs in 50mph increments, culminating in speeds of over 500mph, which will place it among the 10 fastest cars of all time.

Powering this machine will be a Rolls-Royce EJ200 jet engine (normally found on the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet), which is capable of creating nine tonnes of thrust, equivalent to about 54,000hp.

The jet engine will be aided by a ‘mono-propellant’ rocket system to add extra thrust when the Bloodhound LSR car attempts to break the land speed record on the same track in 12-18 months time.

Bloodhound CEO Ian Warhurst said (www.bloodhoundlsr.com): “I’ve really enjoyed watching the team rise to the challenge over these past six months. Something which has been talked about and planned for so long is now really happening — and the team have taken it in their stride.

"Our fantastic new location, SGS Berkeley Green UTC in Gloucestershire, has really helped the project come alive.

“After so much work and several false starts, the Northern Cape provincial government didn’t hesitate to re-engage and has worked quickly and efficiently to help us finalise agreements and then mobilise the local workforce.

“This, in return, has brought much needed employment to the area to help us clear and prepare the track. I look forward to everyone joining us online as the action unfolds.”

Bloodhound LSR engineering director Mark Chapman said: “Transforming Bloodhound from a runway-specification car to one capable of reaching speeds in the transonic range on the desert racetrack has been no small task.

“The team of engineers, craftsmen, fabricators and technicians have pulled out all the stops to upgrade the car in just a few months since the rescue from administration last December.

“After many years in preparation, we can’t wait to get out to the Hakskeen Pan — a dry lake bed in the Kalahari Desert — and let Bloodhound ‘off the leash’ to see just how it performs.”

During low speed trials in 2017, driver Andy Green — the current world land-speed record holder — drove the previously blue and orange liveried car from a standing start to 200mph in 8sec on the 1.6 mile runway at Cornwall Airport in Newquay.

Now, with 10 miles of perfectly flat Kalahari Desert, the Bloodhound LSR team will be able to push the car much harder and get an accurate picture of how it behaves at much higher speeds.