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ThrustSSC set the official one-mile land-speed record at 763.035 mph (1,227.985 km/h), reaching Mach 1.020 on 15 October 1997. Here are 13 facts about the car, its record, and the engineering behind its supersonic run.
How fast did ThrustSSC go?
- It reached 763.035 mph. Guinness World Records lists 1,227.985 km/h (763.035 mph), or Mach 1.020, as the one-mile land-speed record set by ThrustSSC. The record was established in 1997; records can change, and Guinness cautions that online listings may not update immediately. Check the current Guinness record entry.
- The record run was in Nevada. Andy Green drove the car at Black Rock Desert on 15 October 1997.
- It became the first car officially recorded as supersonic. Guinness describes the run as the first car to break the sound barrier; the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) calls ThrustSSC the first land vehicle officially to do so. Its recorded Mach 1.020 is just beyond Mach 1, the speed of sound.
- The record depends on a measured course and official timing. The figure is for the official one-mile land-speed record, not a general claim about every kind of land vehicle. Guinness notes that the 1979 Budweiser Rocket’s claimed speed was not officially sanctioned because its radar was not calibrated or certified.
Who drove ThrustSSC, and how did it break the record?
- Andy Green was at the wheel. Green, a British RAF fighter pilot, drove ThrustSSC during its record run.
- The September milestone was not the final record. On 25 September 1997, ThrustSSC recorded a two-way average of 714.144 mph, surpassing Richard Noble’s 633.468 mph record in Thrust 2, set in 1983. The October run raised the mark to 763.035 mph.
- Two-way timing mattered. The ThrustSSC project archive describes averaging runs in opposite directions over the same measured distance within one hour. The average helps account for conditions such as wind, rather than relying on the faster of two one-way runs. The September 1997 project bulletin documents the milestone and timing rule.
What engines powered ThrustSSC?
- It used twin Rolls-Royce Spey jet engines. Coventry Transport Museum says the Spey turbofans were also used in British F-4 Phantom II fighters. Sources differ in how they describe the engine variant, so “twin Rolls-Royce Spey engines” is the clearest general description.
- The published thrust figure is rounded differently by source. Guinness gives 222 kN (50,000 lb), while Coventry Transport Museum lists 223 kN (50,000 lbf). These are each source’s stated specifications, not a single more precise combined figure.
- It consumed fuel at a striking rate. Coventry Transport Museum reports around 18 litres per second. That is the museum’s vehicle specification, not a measurement attributed here to a particular instant of the record run.
How big was ThrustSSC?
- It was 16.5 metres long and 3.7 metres wide. Coventry Transport Museum gives the dimensions as 54 feet long and 12 feet wide, respectively.
- The museum lists its weight as 10.5 tons (10.7 tonnes). That figure is the Coventry Transport Museum specification.
How did ThrustSSC stay stable at supersonic speed?
- Its control systems and aerodynamics had to manage changing forces. ASME says the designers used computational fluid dynamics and wind-tunnel testing to develop active suspension, while addressing lift, engine and tire placement, and reflected shock-wave forces. A ThrustSSC project release from 24 April 1997 says its computer-controlled active-ride system varied the car’s incidence according to Mach number and notes rear-wheel steering. ASME’s engineering landmark account and the project’s April 1997 release describe these engineering measures.
Where can you see ThrustSSC today?
Coventry Transport Museum identifies ThrustSSC as part of its collection and invites visitors to see it alongside Thrust 2. Check the museum’s current visitor information before travelling. See the museum’s ThrustSSC page.
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