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| Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, US | |
| 2006 | |
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| Those who have been following the progress of the intrepid JCB DIESELMAX team in Utah will know that during the week 22nd to the 25th August, the World Land Speed Record for a diesel-powered car was broken, not just once - but twice!. Following the attempt, the team and car returned to the UK with the new record of 350MPH firmly under its belt. As sponsor and supplier of the steel tubing used in the construction of its chassis, Corus is proud to have had the opportunity to help JCB in this historic World Land Speed Record-breaking achievement.  Hearing the news of the record being broken, Philippe Varin, CEO of Corus, said "this is a great achievement for JCB who have designed, manufactured and tested their car against difficult odds, and in an incredibly short timeframe. We at Corus salute their vision and stamina, and have been very pleased to be associated with the attempt as a co-sponsor". Dr Tim Leverton the DIESELMAX Chief Engineer, will be one of the guest speakers at the annual Corus Forum and Coventry University MA Design Show event at the Coventry Transport Museum on the 30th November 2006. To register your interest to attend the Coventry event, please use the button on the left side of this web-page.
The attempt The diesel land speed record attempt took place during August 2006 at the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah. The JCB DIESELMAX streamliner was driven by Wing Commander Andy Green, the fastest man on earth. Prior to the attempt, the car underwent a gruelling UK testing schedule in July, on the 9000 foot runway at Wittering which is normally in use by RAF Harriers. The car achieved a speed of 201mph during these preparations and was then flown to Bonneville on the 6th August, in preparations for its first runs on the salt surface. For the very latest information and updates, see the JCB DIESELMAX website at: www.jcbdieselmax.com High stiffness and light weight were critical specifications for the chassis steel needed in the JCB DIESELMAX streamliner. Unable to source suitable material in the UK, JCB turned to Corus, who quickly managed to find the correct steel outside the country. Commenting on the support from Corus, JCB DIESELMAX Chief Designer John Piper said: "Corus has been fantastic. The DIESELMAX team received timely help and procured steel tube for the chassis frame, which had exactly the right external dimensions and wall thicknesses for our design." Mr. Piper continued: "The steel tube supplied to the JCB DIESELMAX not only allowed the vehicle to remain lightweight, but very importantly also delivered the chassis stiffness that is essential in a vehicle of this length, and for undertaking a land speed record attempt in a car of this type”
The Project JCB, which has a long tradition of promoting engineering excellence, set uout to achieve a new land speed record for diesel vehicles with the super sleek streamliner car driven by Wing Commander Andy Green, the fastest man on Earth. The record attempt will took place on the famous Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah during August 2006 Sir Anthony Bamford, Chairman of JCB, is very clear why he wanted to build a JCB record-breaker: “I am passionate about the importance of engineering excellence to Britain and I saw using the JCB engine for this record attempt as a fantastic way of showcasing what British engineers can do...” Powering the nine metre long JCB DIESELMAX car are two JCB444 diesel engines, developed to produce 750bhp each, five times the power needed to drive a JCB backhoe loader, and now the world’s most powerful diesel engine per litre. The chassis is a typical 'racecar spaceframe' made of tubular sections, TIG welded and stress relieved. The project leader Dr. Tim Leverton, JCB Group Engineering Director, put together a world-class design team with extensive experience of Formula One, Le Mans, advanced diesel technology and transmissions. The car was driven by Andy Green who drove Thrust SSC, the current holder in the jet engine power landspeed category. Mentor to the project was Richard Noble, the former land speed record holder, who encouraged the JCB team to aim for 300 mph. Before the attempt, the diesel-powered land speed record stood at 235.766 mph, set back in 25th August 1973. Commenting on Corus’ support to JCB, Theo Henrar, Managing Director, Corus Distribution and Building Systems said: “JCB is a company passionate about engineering excellence. Corus has a strong reputation for combining its material knowledge and engineering expertise to offer customers innovative solutions to the issues they face today. As such, we share JCB’s passion and were therefore delighted to support them in this exciting world record attempt.” Mr Henrar continues: “The advanced steel tubes supplied by Corus not only enabled the construction of a lightweight vehicle but importantly offered the strength and stiffness required in the chassis structure to undertake a land speed world record attempt such as this.” Mr Henrar concluded: “JCB is also a key customer to Corus. We supply a wide range of steel products and related processing services to JCB ranging from strip to heavy plate for numerous applications including chassis structures, loader arm and attachment assemblies and hydraulic systems”  About JCB JCB is the world’s fifth largest manufacturer of construction equipment and has 17 plants on four continents: 10 in the UK, three in India and others in the USA, Brazil, China and Germany. JCB employs more than 6300 people. In 2005, JCB celebrated its 60th anniversary; the company is family run and privately-owned. About Corus Corus has a significant supply of steel products and related processing services to JCB, who are one of the world’s leading manufacturers of construction equipment. The wide variety of products and services supplied from Corus businesses located both in the UK and Europe range from hot-rolled strip and plate steels, engineering steel bars to tubes as well as special profiled beams and sections. Applications cover almost all aspects of construction equipment and vehicles including chassis and cab structures, loader arm and attachment assemblies, telescopic booms, hydraulic systems, bucket and shovel cutting shapes and the shoes of tracked earth-moving vehicles. A broad range of Corus steels, ranging from strip and engineering steels to tubes, are used by our automotive customers to make products that are used in body-in-white, closures, chassis and suspension systems, powertrain, seating systems, safety systems, interior trim and other components. | |
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