New car news

15 December 2008 - 12:00

Steaming hot

There aren't many land speed records that have stood unbeaten for over 100 years. The downhill penny-farthing record, maybe, or the magnificent beard-growing record, but we're finding it tricky to verify either of these.

The steam car record, though, has stood since 1906, at a modest 205.44km/h. But for how much longer? Those steamy boffins at something called the British Steam Car Challenge team - yes it does exist - have offered the first evidence of their giant kettle - sorry, steam car - actually moving.

OK, so the movement is fairly sedate at the moment, but the BSCC (as we like to call it) is promising much more to come. There's more than three kilometres of plumbing under that aerodynamic shell, and a 13,000rpm two-stage turbine powering the rear wheels. And, of course, all the power comes from lovely water. Water and lots of hotness, anyhow.

The BSCC reckons its steam car will hit more than 270km/ once, er, they've finished using it to strip all the murky old wallpaper off their office walls. All that, and it makes a lovely cuppa...