SPEED ON LAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22005, 11 January 1935, Page 9

SPEED ON LAND

FRESH ATTEMPT ON RECORD SIR M. CAMPBELL'S NEW CAR British Wireleßß RUGBY, Jan. 9 A new Bluebird motor-car, incorporating many new features, in which Sir Malcolm Campbell will attempt to lower his own world's land speed record at Davtona Beach, Florida, next month, was on view at Brooklands racing; track to-day. The new cnr weighs 4f tons. It is to be shipped to America by the Berengaria next Wednesday, and Sir Malcolm will follow by the Aquitania a week later. The famous driver hopes to make his attempt oil the record on Tuesday, February 19, as a full moon will occur 011 that date, and beach and weather conditions should be at their best.

A considerable advance on the present record of 272.108 miles an hour, set up by Sir Malcolm at Daytona Beach on February 22, 1933, is anticipated. Engineers associated with the construction of the car prophesy a speed of 300 miles an hour. The car is of a new shape. It resembles a monster whale with a gaping mouth, two blunt fins forward of the cockpit and a finned tail. The slit head admits cooling air to the radiator, and there is a lever in the cockpit to close the slit. This, when open, lessons the speed by 15 miles, an hour, but Sir Malcolm is doubtful if he will have a hand to spare from steering to close the gaping mouth when travelling flat out.

The engine "is th 4 old 12-cylinder Rolls-Royce, hut the car has a new streamlined body and braking system. If there is unlimited room at Daytona a speed of 300 miles an hour is possible, hut the problem will be howto get up speed, cover a measured mile and pull up within the nine miles available. The car consumes 2.9 gallons of fuel a minute.

Sir Malcolm says the existing record meant travelling 134 yards a second, so half a second lost through wheel-bounce would destroy his chance of establishing a record.