Jaguar->ke39 is gearing up to unveil a specially outfitted F-Type->ke1224 R AWD designed to support the supersonic Bloodhound SSC->ke4876 jet and rocket car in its attempt to break the standing world land speed record.->ke1948 

The high-powered coupe->ke141 comes fresh from Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations tuning division sporting a unique blue-and-orange livery in line with the Bloodhound SSC colors. It’ll join a fleet of support cars as a first-on-the-scene rapid response vehicle, while the high-powered V-8 under its hood will be used to power the hydraulic system and oxidizer pump on the Bloodhound.

The F-Type R AWD first saw support duty back in November of last year, when it was equipped with radio equipment and driven with great haste towards an approaching jet flying at 500 knots just 20 feet above the ground. With a combined closing speed of 700 mph, the fly-by was performed as a comms check to make sure the ground crew would be able to communicate with the Bloodhound’s pilot during the record-breaking attempt.

The F-Type R AWD RRV will be unveiled at this year’s MotoFest in Coventry, England, where it will lap the Coventry ring road on Saturday, May 30th, and Sunday, May 31st. Jag will also bring along a slew of heritage vehicles to the event, including a 1956 D-type->ke1250 Long Nose, 1966 XJ13, 1974 Group 44 E-type,->ke1246 1976 Broadspeed XJ12 Coupe, 1938 SS 100, and the 1988 Le Mans-winning->ke1591 XJR-9.

Continue reading to learn more about the Jaguar F-Type.

Why it matters

In case you were wondering, that’s not a typo in the first sentence – the Bloodhound SSC uses both rocket and jet propulsion to reach its maximum velocity, which is currently believed to be around 1,050 mph. That’s roughly mach 1.4, by the way. The speed comes courtesy of three power sources: a 90-kN EJ200 jet engine, a 122-kN hybrid rocket engine, and an 800-horsepower auxiliary power unit. If you converted all that to horsepower (not necessarily super accurate, but interesting nonetheless), you’d get a grand total of 135,000. At current calculations, a mere 55 seconds will be required to go from a standstill to 1,000 mph.

The current land speed record stands at 763.035 mph, and was set by Andy Green in the Thrust SSC on October 15, 1997 in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada. Andy Green will also be at the helm of the Bloodhound. At 1,050 mph, the new record will surpass the old by 33 percent, the largest margin ever in the record’s illustrious history.

Jaguar F-Type AWD Coupe

As the spiritual successor to the legendary E-Type, the F-Type is widely praised for its drop-dead gorgeous exterior, lively handling, and powerful range of engines. Sitting at the top of the heap is a supercharged 5.0-liter V-8, good for 550 horsepower, 502 pound-feet of torque, and cranking over a supersonic land missile. When routed to all four wheels through an eight-speed Quickshift transmission instead, this muscle can launch the F-Type R AWD to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and enable it to reach a top speed of 186, both fantastic attributes in an emergency.

Read our full review here.