JCB Car Beats Land Speed Record

A car built by JCB has broken the diesel engine land speed record after reaching 328.767mph (529km/h).

A JCB Dieselmax spokesman said the vehicle attained the average speed during two runs in Utah, USA.

Confirmation was given on Tuesday by the Federation Internationale de l`Automobile. An attempt to better the record will be made on Wednesday.

The Staffordshire-built vehicle was driven by Wing Cmdr Andy Green from RAF Wittering in Cambridgeshire.
 
The Dieselmax car is powered by two turbo-charged JCB engines built at the company`s plant at Rocester.

The record-breaking attempts took place at Bonneville Salt Flats at daybreak, when conditions were most suitable.  

`Marvellous achievement`

The previous diesel land speed record is 236mph (380km/h), set in August 1973.

Mr Green said: "This is exactly what we came to do today - this is British engineering at its absolute best. We now have the fastest diesel in the world.

"We have now set two records in only four runs which is a stunning engineering and team achievement."

Project director Dr Tim Leverton said: "To have built the world`s fastest diesel is a stunning achievement for the JCB Dieselmax team and the car performed superbly."

Sir Anthony Bamford, chairman of JCB, said: "This is a marvellous achievement for JCB, and a wonderful tribute to British engineering."

The team behind the 23ft-long (7m) racer has spent a week testing the Dieselmax in Utah.

In 1997, Wing Cmdr Green became the only person to drive at supersonic speeds in the vehicle Thrust SSC when he achieved a speed of 763mph (1227kph).

Daytime temperatures on the Bonneville Salt Flats typically exceed 40C (104F).