Skip to main content

Jaguar’s F-Type R rapid response vehicle isn’t nearly as rapid as the SSC Bloodhound

Jaguar & Bloodhound Project partnership announced with F-TYPE Coupé AWD high-speed test

Jaguar’s F-Type R is a supremely fast sports car. Its supercharged 5.0 liter V8 makes 550 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque. That big power will get it to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 186 mph.

As impressive as those figures are, they’re nowhere near as jaw dropping as the SSC Bloodhound, a rocket- and jet-powered land speed car with 135,000 hp that’s gunning for 1,000-plus mph. Still, Jaguar has decided the F-Type R will make a great support vehicle, so the U.K. automaker has revealed a version of its sports car to aid the Bloodhound SSC team.

Jaguar employed its Special Vehicle Operations team to turn the standard F-Type R AWD into a rapid response vehicle. But the specialized F-Type isn’t just about the blue and orange paint job; the sports car also played a key role in testing the Bloodhound SSC’s radio equipment.

The Bloodhound SSC livery Jag will debut at the Coventry MotoFest on May 29, along with a lineup of Jaguar heritage vehicles like the 1953 C-Type, the 1956 D-Type Long Nose, and the 1966 XJ13.

As for the Bloodhound SSC world record attempt, that’s scheduled for sometime later this year in Northern Cape, South Africa, where a stretch of track 12 miles long has been cleared for the run.

For that event, the F-Type R may be the quickest responding vehicle for emergency situations, but first responders will need to pack light — it is a sports car after all.

Editors' Recommendations

Miles Branman
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Miles Branman doesn't need sustenance; he needs cars. While the gearhead gene wasn't strong in his own family, Miles…
Mercedes-Benz G580 first drive: old-school off-roader goes electric
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

American car buyers mostly know Mercedes-Benz as a luxury brand. But for decades, the automaker has also produced the tough, rugged G-Class (also known as the Geländewagen or G-Wagen), an SUV not afraid to get its leather upholstery muddy. And now, this iconic Mercedes is going electric.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology — the final name of the SUV previously known as the EQG — isn’t the first electric off-roader. The Rivian R1S and R1T and GMC Hummer EV have proven that electric powertrains and off-roading are a great combination. But the electric G-Wagen is different because it’s based on an internal-combustion model — and a very traditional one at that.

Read more
Honda believes hydrogen semi trucks will make the case for fuel cells
Honda hydrogen fuel-cell semi truck.

Honda remains committed to hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, but the market for those vehicles remains limited. So Honda is looking at other uses for fuel cells -- including commercial trucks.

To show how that could work, Honda converted a semi truck to fuel-cell power, replacing its diesel engine with three fuel-cell modules. Together, the three modules produce a combined 321 horsepower, and can propel the truck to a top speed of 70 mph. There's enough onboard hydrogen storage capacity for a 400-mile range with a full load, Honda claims.

Read more
Mercedes-Benz G580 vs Rivian R2: Is the much cheaper Rivian actually better?
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

Mercedes-Benz has finally taken the wraps off of the new "Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology." Yeah, it's a mouthful, but it's basically a new electric G-Wagon. It looks a lot like the G-Wagon you know and love, but with an electric powertrain and a battery. It's not the only electric SUV out there, however, and there are some great ones -- like the Rivian R2.

Both the Mercedes G580 and the Rivian R2 have a lot going for them, but they also approach the electric SUV slightly differently. Is one better than the other? I put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The approach that the two vehicles take to design is quite different -- and you might like one better than the other.

Read more