Speed Record Cars

Car-record holder:

Maximum speed for the production car is 435.31 km/h.

The test was conducted at Kennedy Space Center on a 3.2-mile landing strip on February 14, 2014.

VIN: YT9MM1A48JA007143.

In June 2019 JCB set a new British speed record for tractors with its high-speed Fastrac tractor.

The tractor notched up 166.73kmh (103.6mph) at Elvington Airfield, near York, with motorbike racer and lorry mechanic Guy Martin behind the wheel. It smashed the previous 87.27mph record set in March 2018 by Top Gear’s Track-Tor.

The record-breaking tractor was powered by JCB’s 7.2 litre, 6-cylinder DieselMax engine produced at the factory in Derbyshire. Capable of delivering 1,000hp and 2,500Nm of torque, the Fastrac had its aerodynamics enhanced with the help of Williams Advanced Engineering.

In October 2019, "Fastrac Two" hit an astonishing peak speed of 153.771mph on its way to recording an average of 135.191mph at Elvington.

The record-breaking attempt was overseen by Guinness World Records, who confirmed that the JCB Fastrac completed two runs, in either direction through a speed trap set 1km apart, within the allotted time, to set the 135.191mph record.

Fastrac Two maintained the same design principles and packaging, but would be 10% lighter than its predecessor (Fastrac One), reducing its weight to less than five tonnes. The tractor’s bonnet was changed from steel to aluminium; non-structural material was removed from the chassis, while the cab and roll cage mounts would be incorporated into the chassis design.

Streamlined bodywork also had a role to play, with aerodynamic analysis and development conducted by Rob Smedley, ex-Williams head of vehicle performance, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) used by Williams Advanced Engineering, to give Fastrac Two a 10% reduction in drag over Fastrac One.

This saw the development of new cab air deflectors, a new rear cover, re-designed radiator covers, new side panels, front bumper and cab roof, would also help the tractor to cut through the air, on its way to the new Guinness World Record.

An extra shot of power was needed, and the 7.2 litre, 6-cylinder JCB Dieselmax engine produced at JCB Power Systems in Derbyshire, also received some extra attention. A new, larger turbocharger was accompanied by water injection and charge-air cooling through ice tanks, reduced intake temperatures by 50˚C.

An electrically driven supercharger system was again used, while a revised exhaust manifold contributed to improved flow. The adoption of a sophisticated anti-lag system would also keep the larger turbocharger delivering its maximum boost pressure while gear changes took place. The result of the powertain improvements was a peak output of 1,016hp at 3,150rpm, and over 2,500Nm of torque.