It may only be a wooden model at the moment, but when the Bloodhound SSC is built in carbon fibre and titanium, it could become the fastest car in the world.

And 20 students from the University of the West of England (UWE) can be proud in the knowledge that they have had a hand in its design.

The driver, RAF Wing Commander Andy Green, believes the car will be able to break 1,000mph – shattering his own supersonic land speed record of 763mph, which he set in 1997 in the Thrust SSC.

Powered by a European Typhoon test jet engine and a rocket, it will be capable of delivering 22,000lbs of thrust, or 150,000bhp. The Bloodhound may be more than 12m long and weigh the same as six Minis, but the power will be so much that if it drove the length of a football pitch, one blink and you would miss it.

The wooden model was unveiled at UWE on Thursday as second-year students from the product design and technology course showed off the cockpit they designed as part of their studies.

Mr Green, the first person to break the sound barrier on land, was measured inside the cockpit by laser technology to make sure the final version fits him like a glove.

He said: "Going at 1,000mph is not enough. The primary aim is to produce an iconic project for the country and inspire future generations to get into engineering.

"If we crash the car we fail, and if we keep all four wheels on the ground it is a success, so if we can keep the car upright, everything else is relatively easy."

Mr Green was impressed with the students' test rig, which they designed in just four weeks.

He said: "This project is so much more interesting than designing something like a new seat for an Audi A4 for them. There isn't one of these, and there will only ever be one, and these guys get to shape what it looks like.

"They have done a fantastic job."

Among the students was 19-year-old Katherine White, 19 – the only girl on the design team.

Katherine, who helped design the steering wheel, said: "We had to make everything so that it was adjustable and would fit Andy perfectly.

"I have enjoyed the project as the boys as they are very competitive, which pushes me along as well.

"It has been an amazing experience, and it is nice having a live project where it really matters what we do.

"My engineering friends at other universities can't quite believe we have been given such a great chance, and it is really helping us become better engineers."

The project, which is being led by former land speed record holder Richard Noble, needs another £4 million if the Bloodhound SSC is to be ready for testing in March 2010.

Engineering director John Piper hopes the project can be kept in Bristol, and that someone will come forward with a space big enough to construct it and house a visitors' centre.

If it did stay in the city it could even be tested on Filton airfield.