Jaguar F-Type tests Bloodhound’s 1000mph parachute (video)

The Bloodhound quest to hit 1000 mph continues its preparations with a parachute test at 180mph using the Jaguar F-Type R as the test car.

The Bloodhound SSC team’s quest to hit 1000mph in a land speed record attempt has been ongoing for almost six years, despite originally planning to break the 1000mph barrier is 2011.

It now looks like it’s going to be 2016 before there’s a worthwhile attempt, and in the meantime the shakedowns for Bloodhound continue, as does testing of its support. Enter Jaguar to lend a hand.

Jaguar’s tie-up with the Bloodhound project has already yielded plenty of opportunities to link the Jaguar brand to the ultimate land speed car, including revealing the AWD Jaguar F-Type, and testing of the Bloodhound’s parachute mechanism is another opportunity to get front and centre.

According to Andy Green, Bloodhound’s pilot, testing the parachute at 180mph in the Jaguar F-Type will ensure it works properly in the Bloodhound at more than five times that speed. Really? Well, if anyone knows, Andy should – and it’s his life on the line.

Fortunately, as you can see in the video below (and would have seen on the One Show on BBC 1 with Alex Jones pulling the levers), all went smoothly and the parachute deployed, and slowed the Jag, just as planned. Another  successful PR outing for Jaguar, and another box ticked for Bloodhound.

But to be fair to Jaguar, they’re not just fronting some funding (we assume) and putting their cars front and centre, they’re also providing the 5.0 litre V8 Supercharged engine from the F-Type R Coupe to drive Bloodhound’s rocket oxidiser pump. So they really are having an input to this audacious record attempt, not just milking it for PR.

Jaguar F-Type Bloodhound SSC Parachute Video