This yellow peril could be about to hurtle its way into the record books. Construction-equipment maker JCB hopes its JCB Diesel-Max car can set a new land speed record for diesel vehicles.
The vehicle, driven by the current fastest man on Earth, Wing Commander Andy Green (above), was put through its paces at RAF Wittering, near Peterborough, yesterday ahead of the record attempt in America next month.
It is hoped the 29ft (nine-metre) long car, which is powered by two JCB444 diesel engines, will reach speeds of 300mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The current record for diesel-powered vehicles stands at 235.756mph. Wing Commander Green set the first supersonic world land speed record at 763.035mph in ThrustSSC in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada, in October 1997.
He said he was thrilled to have another opportunity to enter the record books. "We will be following in the tradition of British recordbreakers by running at the sport's spiritual home, the remarkable Bonneville Salt Flats," he said.
"I am really looking forward to driving another British entry in the '300mph Club', and a diesel-engined, wheel-driven one at that."
JCB chairman Sir Anthony Bamford said the record attempt was a good way to showcase British engineering talent.
