The British Thrust SuperSonic Car shattered the world land speed record on Thursday, racing across Nevada's Black Rock Desert at 714.1 miles per hour (1,142 kph). The driver, Andy Green, an RAF fighter pilot, broke the 14year-old land speed record by 80 mph (130 kph), one of the largest leaps in the history of world land speed record attempts. The 10-tonne car travelled at around 93 per cent of the speed of sound, Green said.
The old record of 633 mph (1,012 kph) belonged to Richard Noble, leader of the Thrust SSC team, who stood on the sidelines and watched as the huge car, powered by two jet engines from a Phantom aircraft, rocketed across the remote desert north of Reno.
The two desert runs have to be confirmed as a record by the Paris-based Federation Internationale Automobiliste, the sport's governing body.
Breaking the record is just a step towards the team's ultimate goal of breaking the sound barrier on land for the first time. The team plans to stay in Nevada for several more weeks trying to reach the speed of sound - around 750 mph (1,200 kph). Thrust had been close to a record twice earlier this week but had been unable to complete two record-breaking runs within an hour as required by the rules. On Thursday there was no mistake. Thrust rocketed over the measured mile of the 13-mile (21-km) course at 700.6 mph (1,120 kph). It came back 45 minutes later, reaching 728.0 mph (1,165 kph) for a two-run average speed of 714 mph (1,142 kph).
The record was a victory for Thrust in its "duel in the desert" with the Spirit of America jet car driven by the veteran American driver, Craig Breedlove.