This 1,016-horsepower tractor has just been crowned the world's fastest after it traveled more than 150 miles per hour

Brittany ChangNov 22, 2019, 02:15 IST

J.C. Bamford Excavators Ltd. (JCB)

JCB, a British tractor maker, has created a new version of the world's fastest tractor: the Fastrac Two.
The tractor achieved a speed of over 135 mph, breaking the world record that was held by its first iteration, the Fastrac One.
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JCB has created the world's fastest tractor: the Fastrac Two, which achieved 135.19 mph.

JCB is a manufacturing company that specializes in construction and agricultural equipment. It currently has a range of over 300 products made in 22 plants worldwide, operating in countries like the US, China, and the UK.

The original Fastrac - aptly named the Fastrac One - was deemed the "world's fastest tractor" after it set the record in June, achieving the title at a speed that was over 30 mph slower than the Two's record.

"When we reached 103.6 mph with the Fastrac in the summer, I was convinced we could go even faster, and the JCB team has risen to the challenge by setting this new record," JCB chairman Lord Anthony Bamford said in a statement. "It's an amazing achievement delivered by a young and enthusiastic engineering team. Everyone involved should be very proud of the part they have played in showing off JCB engineering at its very best."

The second iteration of the Fastrac tractor family is stronger, more streamlined, and 10% lighter than its predecessor, according to JCB. The world record run was done at Elvington Airfield in the UK.

The manufacturing company is no stranger to breaking world records. The "Land Speed Record" for diesel-powered cars was set in 2006 with JCB's Dieselmax, which achieved 350.092 mph.

Take a look at the speedy tractor and the team behind it.

See This 1,016-horsepower tractor has just been crowned the world's fastest after it traveled more than 150 miles per hour >>

The record was set by a modified JCB Fastrac tractor, the JCB 8000-series.

The unmodified tractor has a top speed of 43 mph, making it the world's fastest production tractor, according to JCB.

Fastrac Two almost tripled its unmodified cousin, reaching 135.91 mph.

The record-breaking number is an average of two high-speed runs.

The JCB team was originally aiming for 150 mph. The tractor hit 153.77 while "on its way to establishing the record," according to JCB. However, the speed record sanctioned by Guinness World Records is still 135.91.

The tractor has a 7.2-liter six-cylinder engine.

It has 1,016 horsepower and of over 1,844 feet-pound of torque

The tractor achieves 5 miles-per-gallon, and the record-setting run was done with a 5.2-gallon fuel tank.

The engine can run on vegetable oil, but high-performance racing diesel was used for the run.

"The biggest challenges have included aerodynamics, reducing weight and improving performance," Tim Burnhope, head of innovation at JCB, said in a statement.

"Getting a five-tonne (11,000 lb) tractor to safely reach 150 mph, and stop again, is not an easy task, but we're all so proud to have not only reached these goals but to have exceeded them," Burnhope continued.

British motorsports personality Guy Martin was behind the wheel for both Fastrac records.

"Just look at it, they get stuff done, it's brilliant, and it is still a working tractor, so could have gone straight into the nearest field to put in a shift," Martin said in a prepared statement.

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