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Bloodhound SSC makes its speed-ready debut in London

Bloodhound SSC, the 1,000-mph land speed record contender, broke cover this week in Canary Wharf, London, in the heart of the Docklands financial district. "This is the best of British engineering meets the best of British banking," quipped Philip Dunne, MP, minister of state for defense procurement, which has provided backing for the team in terms of Army and Royal Air Force personnel and equipment. The team announced that Bloodhound will do its first test runs in Newquay, Cornwall, next spring before traveling to Hakskeen Pan in northwest South Africa in the fall. There, on October 15, 2016, it will make its first attempt on the land speed record, which currently stands at 763.035 miles per hour. That speed was set by Thrust SSC in the Black Rock desert on October 15, 1997 by Bloodhound's driver, Andy Green. Nineteen years later to the day, Green will be shooting for a speed over 800 mph. Over 8,000 people will come to Canary Wharf to see this extraordinary jet- and rocket-powered car over the next couple of days. This is the first-ever viewing of the machine in assembled form. The right-hand side is fully dressed in desert spec, complete with forged aluminum wheels and aerodynamics. The left-hand side is in 'naked' Newquay test spec, with panels removed for easy access and the whole thing riding on rubber tires that can run on tarmac. First impressions are of a big yet muscular car simply crammed with engines, jets, and rockets. The most recognizable thing, apart from the seven fire extinguishers, is the Jaguar AJ133 5.0-liter V8, lifted from an F-Type, which will run the fuel pumps that deliver over 211 gallons of high-test peroxide over the rocket motor's 20-second burn time. The EJ200 Typhoon military jet engine occupies the top floor and provides nine tons of thrust, and underneath is the single Nammo rocket motor providing an additional four tons. "When we go for 1,000 mph, we'll need another two rocket motors," says Mark Chapman, Bloodhound's chief engineer. "That total additional eight tons of thrust is what we'll need to get from 800 to 1,000 mph." He explains that the rear of the car will have to be redesigned to accommodate the two additional rocket motors, and the suspension might have to be adapted with longitudinal rear spring units like the fronts. There are still unknowns in the project, such as the area of vacuum that will follow the car several meters behind.

Jaguar explains the perfect driver seating position

Although the shapes of car seats are one-size-fits-all, manufacturers have created numerous ways to customize how seats are positioned in efforts to cater to the multiple sizes of drivers. Whereas old vehicles only had the options of reclining and sliding forward or backward, new cars have seats that move up, down, forward, backward, and just about any other direction. In a new video, Jaguar demonstrates exactly how to use these features to find the perfect seating position. The advice comes from Steve Iley, Jaguar Land Rover's chief medical officer. Many people only think of seating position as a means to comfort, but when dealing with posture, it can affect a person's health. Iley's first tip is to empty out your pockets, thus avoiding any impingements. That includes anything from wallets to keys to cellphones to stowed-away snacks. Before putting a seatbelt on, the driver should then make sure his or her butt is all the way to the rear of the seat and that the entire back is touching the seat. Next are the seat adjustments. Iley suggests moving the back of the seat until the driver's spine and pelvis are aligned and straight. Note in this position the driver's thighs should be resting on the seats without any pressure points. Following this step, check the distance and position of the feet relative to the pedals. Jaguar says in the correct position, the leg should still be slightly bent when a pedal is fully pressed. The driver's elbows should be in a similar slightly bent position. With both hands on the wheel, make sure the arms aren't straight and have a slight kink at the elbow. In an ideal position, the driver's shoulders should remain in contact with the seat even during turning. Last, the headrest should be aligned with the top of the head. Not mentioned in Jaguar's advice is that NHTSA urges you to sit at least 10 inches from the steering wheel — as far back as you can while still comfortably reaching the pedals and wheel — in order to minimize the potential for serious injuries from airbag deployment, and the old 10-and-2 hand position is discouraged for the same reasons. Hands at 3 and 9 or at 4 and 8 are the new norm. AAA demonstrates in the video below. If any part of this doesn't make sense, you're in luck. Both videos are helpful. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Jaguar sends off XK with limited-run Final 50 edition

The Jaguar XK coupe and convertible are pointed at the production sunset, and the cars that will end their retail lives in the US will be the dubbed the XK Final Fifty Limited Edition. As the name implies there will be fifty of them made, 25 of the fixed-roof variety, 25 of the droptop.
As the name doesn't imply, however, they'll be based on the XKR and be injected with liberal doses of XKR-S and XKR-S GT: the 510-horsepower V8 from the XKR will be mated to normally optional items like the Dynamic and Performance Packs, machined front suspension components from the XKR-S and a 10-millimeter lower ride height, the louvered hood from the XKR-S GT and Vortex 20-inch forged wheels. The sheetmetal gets a bath in Ultimate Black paint "with special trim" and badged door sill plates. Convertibles will come black roofs, but the Performance Active Exhaust will keep you apprised of the 5.0-liter V8 bellows no matter which car you choose.
They'll go into production this summer and hit dealerships in the fall. There's a lengthy press release below with more info on how this cat will sing its swan song.