This week’s Top Gear sees Matt LeBlanc revolutionise British agriculture by creating a high-speed tractor – and ahead of the episode – The Stig has set a new Guinness World Records title for Fastest Tractor with a speed of 87.2mph in a uniquely modified version of the farmer’s favourite ride – the ‘Track-tor’.
LeBlanc and Chris Harris also make an attempt to break the world record but viewers will have to wait until Wednesday at 8pm on BBC Brit (Dstv Channel 120)to see if they achieve it or not – however their tame racing driver has already set the bar high by smashing the previous record (80.87mph – in Vuojärvi, Finland held since 19 February 2015) whilst driving the ‘Track-tor’ on the set of Top Gear on Wednesday, March 14th.
Engineered at the Top Gear Agricultural Technology Centre, the ‘Track-tor’ is a 500-brake horsepower, Lamborghini-style orange coloured farming automotive Frankenstein – powered by a 5.7 litre Chevy V8 engine and supported by 4-wheel brakes, adjustable air suspension and 54-inch tyres. And in true Top Gear style – it’s also fitted with a push button start, a barometer and a wellington boot and spade rack.Top Gear presenter and heavy machinery fanatic Matt LeBlanc commented: “As the proud owner of no less than four tractors, you could say I’m a bit of an enthusiast. The theme of this week’s film is that tractors are blocking up Britain. When you get stuck behind one, you can’t go anywhere. So we’re trying to speed up farming. When Lewis Hamilton retires, this is what he’ll be driving!”
Jack Brockbank, Official Guinness World Records Adjudicator said: “To see The Stig hurtle past me in a tractor at 87mph was surreal, but hugely impressive. Equally as impressive is the engineering expertise of the Top Gear team that made this possible – the combination of their skills makes for brilliant record-breaking fun.”
In Wednesday episode, Matt LeBlanc and Chris Harris test the ‘Track-tor’ by taking it on a motorway, competing in a hedge-trimming contest against Farmer of the Year, and taking on a well-known food manufacturer in a frozen vegetable challenge – but it’s The Stig who really puts the modified motor through its paces – on the Countryfile Farm – ruining filming on the BBC programme. The Stig will be seen giving presenter Ellie Harrison a soaking and infuriating John Craven by loudly gate-crashing his earnest piece to camera. He also finds time to burst through barn doors, perform a sequence of donuts and round up sheep in the high-powered machine.
The Track-tor’s unique modifications include:
• Push button start
• Lamborghini-style orangecolour
• 500bhp
• 4-wheel brakes (a regular tractor is only braked on the rear axle)
• 5.7Litre 350ci small block Chevy V8 engine
• Adjustable air suspension system to raise and lower body
• 54 inch Super SwamperBogger rear tyres from USA
• 20-inch split rim wheels
• Ariel Atom LED lights front & back
• Twin Hydraulic handbrake to lock each rear wheel independently
• 17” Racing Wide Angle Rear View Mirror
• Barometer
• Wellington boot & spade rack
• Rotating boot brush (toilet brush connected to a drill!)
See the info-graphic below:
