Have you ever heard of an automobile that defied the laws of physics? If not, it might be the case that only one car has been able to accomplish so. The Thrust SSC, also known as the Thrust SuperSonic Car, broke a new global ground speed record on October 15, 1997, when it managed to reach speeds of 763 mph in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.
It was a wild ride.
Former British Royal Air Force pilot Andrew Green set the record. Green called the car “a big handful, verging on uncontrolled” at 500–600 miles per hour, according to the Guinness World Records.
The two enormous booms that occurred during Andy’s outward and return runs “led his crew into spontaneous celebrations, albeit he couldn’t hear them himself because he was really inside the vehicle that produced those sonic booms,” according to the Guinness World Records.
“Green was the fastest driver in recorded history. Furthermore, Chuck Yeager (USA) initially broke the sound barrier in a rocket plane called the Bell X-1, which was 50 years and one day before him. The letters “SSC,” which stood for “SuperSonic Car,” turned out to be prophetic after all.
One of the best vehicles ever created, the Thrust SSC doesn’t compete in many races right now. The public can view it in Coventry, England, at the Coventry Transport Museum, where it is on display. However, it continues to rank among the finest automobiles ever created. What is known about it is as follows:
Two afterburning Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engines, which are typically found on the British McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II jet, were utilized to power it.
It is nearly 10 tons in weight, 54 feet (16.5 m) long, and 12 feet (3.7 m) wide.
Its overall thrust is 223 kN. (approximately 50,000 pounds force).
It quickly increased its speed throughout the now-famous trip with Green, doing 25 miles per hour every second.
It would tend to pull to the left due to the way it was built, with the rear wheels being spaced apart.
Green referred to the supersonic boom it made during its illustrious record-breaking journey as the “loudest, highest pitch scream I’ve ever heard.”
After a rapid acceleration, the car needed to slow down by opening a parachute.
The now-famous car wasn’t intended to be retired entirely. Guinness World Records claims that it was planned to attempt its record-breaking run once more in 2016 with Green behind the wheel. Sadly, it doesn’t appear that has occurred. Possibly down the road?