A British team has begun building a car designed to smash all previous land speed records and go faster than even the speed of sound.

The supersonic car, called Bloodhound, is expected to reach an awe-inspiring 1,000mph (1,610km/h), while sound travels at around 760mph (1,223km/h).

The car, which looks more like a plane without wings thanks to its sleek, aerodynamic frame, will also travel much faster than most passenger aircraft, which is why the man chosen to drive it is actually a pilot.

Wing Commander Andy Green will be in the hot seat for the car’s record attempt, and is hoping to break the present land speed record of 763mph (1,228km/h) which he himself set in 1997.

The time trial is scheduled for 2011 and will take place on a 10-mile-long track in a desert in South Africa.

But while achieving such speeds would undoubtedly be a major accomplishment, Andy Green says the project is about more than this.

He said the aim was to “create an iconic project that can inspire the nation and the nation’s schools to have an interest in science and engineering.”

“If it gets kids from around the world motivated and we only get to 950mph (1,529km/h) then it’ll be worth it. If we get to 1,000mph and nobody cares then we’ll have failed.”

While you’re unlikely to have the chance to drive such a car yourself, you will be able to watch the attempt on television.

“It will be unmissable television,” said Green.

“It will be very hot and noisy with a violent acceleration and deceleration which will feel pretty much like a crash.

“But as long as all four wheels stay on the ground, everything else we can deal with.”

Glossary 词汇表

land speed records
陆上速度的世界纪录 supersonic
超音速的 awe-inspiring
令人惊叹的 sleek
光滑的 aerodynamic frame
空气动力的构架 passenger aircraft
客机 Wing Commander
中校 in the hot seat
承担重任 time trial
计时检测 desert
沙漠 major accomplishment
重大成就 iconic project
代表性的工程 motivated
有动力的 unlikely
不太可能的 unmissable
不可错过的 violent acceleration
急剧加速 deceleration
减速 pretty much
几乎 crash
撞车 deal with
应对处理