F1 sponsor JCB swaps heavy lifting for 406mph land speed record

Aston Martin F1 sponsor JCB has built its reputation on heavy lifting. But this week, Lord Bamford’s company decided to prove it can do the opposite too – by going very, very fast.

On Tuesday, the heavy-equipment giant smashed the world land speed record for a hydrogen-powered car at Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats, with Wing Commander Andy Green piloting the spectacular 32-foot Hydromax to an official average of 406.320 mph (653 km/h).

Talk about taking JCB’s DNA in a different direction. Rather than digging, hauling or lifting, Hydromax went hunting for speed – powered by two production-based 4.8-litre hydrogen engines producing around 1,600 bhp combined.

Green, already the fastest man on Earth since his astonishing 763.035 mph ThrustSSC run in 1997, completed the two FIA-mandated runs at 400.623 mph and 412.135 mph. And remarkably, he says the car had more to give.

“The car was magnificent, stable, strong and fast,” Green said. “To set a world record with hydrogen, 20 years after Dieselmax, is a privilege.

“In fact, the car was so good that I actually had to lift off the accelerator and slow down through the measured mile because we'd hit our limiting speed.”

The result more than doubled the previous hydrogen internal-combustion record of 185.5 mph and also eclipsed the 303 mph hydrogen fuel-cell mark, making Hydromax the fastest hydrogen-powered vehicle ever.

As Lord Bamford put it: “It shows hydrogen works, and it works today at the highest level with zero emissions.”

Heavy lifting, indeed. Just at rather more than 400 mph.