Diesel land speed record car makes its first run

The JCB Dieselmax streamliner made its first run this past weekend on the Royal Air Force Wittering runways, where the land speed record hopeful will run testing sessions until early August.

Running without its bodywork, the diesel-fueled, 1500 hp, twin-engine car was push-started, appropriately enough, by a JCB Fastrac "high speed" tractor (above). Tests on Monday with the streamliner bodywork in place saw the LSR contender pass the 120 mph mark and successfully deploy the parachute brake.

The Dieselmax project team expect the car to reach 200 mph during its airport tests, before heading to Bonneville later in August for its shot at the diesel speed record.

[Source: JCB Dieselmax project]