654kph clocked at Bonneville
The Defender Octa has demonstrated its performance, capability and composure by helping the hydrogen-powered JCB Hydromax to set a land-speed record.
The fastest and most powerful Defender ever made was chosen for an important role in the successful record attempt, which followed a week of tests at the Bonneville Salt Flats SpeedWeek.
With gearing aimed at high-speed record setting, event regulations allowed the JCB Hydromax to receive a push start for up to 300 metres at the start of each run to help it get up to speed.
After extensive analysis and testing, this vital role was entrusted to a Defender Octa fitted with a bespoke push plate.
As a result, the JCB Hydromax set a Southern California Timing Association Speed Record and FIA world hydrogen land-speed record in Utah.
Lee Harper, chief engineer at JCB Hydromax, says: “The Octa was the natural choice as a push vehicle. In traditional circuit racing, you’re racing against time but when setting land-speed records we’re racing against distance.
“The quicker we can get up to speed, the safer it is and the better performance we can have. It has also been a fantastic opportunity to combine the talents of two British engineering giants.”
The Octa features an integrated, crash-tested winch mount, providing a fixing point for the bespoke push plate attached to the front.
Once the winch mount’s deformable crumple zone had been disabled and additional fixing points added – including a brace bar to the front recovery point on the Defender – the push plate was tested at speeds in excess of those required by the JCB team to ensure its robustness.
During the record runs, the Defender was required to push the 2,550kg JCB Hydromax from a standstill to 60mph within 300m at an effective altitude density equivalent of up to 2,244m above sea level.
This proved no challenge for the twin-turbo V8 powertrain of Octa with its 48-volt mild-hybrid system providing improved throttle response and enhanced sprint performance. Above 60mph, the record-breaking hydrogen combustion land-speed record car could accelerate under its own power.
Ian Johnson, engineering delivery director at JLR, says: “Maintaining a level attitude while accelerating hard was important to avoid unsettling the JCB Hydromax.
“With so much additional weight attached to the front, we wondered if we would need to ballast the Octa to meet the challenge.
“But in testing its 6D dynamics suspension kept everything level without adding any additional weight, while the Octa’s performance meant we could easily reach the target speed well within the 300m distance allowed by the regulations.”
The JCB Hydromax set a land-speed record for a hydrogen combustion vehicle of 406.32mph – or 653.91kph. It was driven by world land-speed record-holder Andy Green.
