A beefed-up version of JBC’s Fastrac tractor has broken the speed record for a vehicle of its kind

Since the very advent of the automobile, man has tried to make it go faster and faster. Hence the cliché that the first car race took place the day the second car was built. The need for speed has remained undiminished ever since.

And that doesn’t apply only to exotic sports models. Honda has set and reset the speed record for… a lawnmower. Last week, manufacturer JCB Machines got its turn in the spotlight as a revamped version of one its tractors set an impressive new benchmark for the vehicle type.

Auto123 lance Shopicar ! Tous les modèles de l’année et toutes les promotions en cours.

The company modified one its JCB Fastrac models, which at base has a top speed of 66 km/h. The pimped-up tractor runs on a JCB engine with a large charge cooler filled with ice. The powertrain also features an electric turbocharger working in addition to the main turbocharger.

The modifications allowed the tractor to hit a top speed of 135 mph, or 217 km/h, piloted by British driver Guy Martin.

As crazy as you might imagine a tractor racing at that speed must look, the video of the feat confirms, yes it is that crazy. Check it out.