The Ford Mondeo rival...
The Ford Mondeo rival will come in an estate bodystyle only, and will sell on its practicality. Fiat says it"s on average 10cm taller than rivals, allowing the seats to be set higher and with more space between the front and rear rows. This should give the Croma impressive interior room.
This very special JCB...
This very special JCB is destined for the Bonneville Salt Flats in the US, where it will attempt to break the world land speed record for diesel-engined cars this summer, hitting more than 300mph.
Called the DIESELMAX, the amazing machine is nine metres long, and has two JCB diesel powerplants developing 1,500bhp housed in a bullet-like shape that evokes memories of Donald Campbell"s Bluebird record car. It has been designed with help from ex-land speed record holder Richard Noble, and will be driven by Andy Green, the RAF pilot who set an overall land speed mark of 763mph in Noble"s Thrust SSC in 1997.
The project showcases the all-new JCB 444 engine, which powers the firm"s range of diggers, and forms the basis of the DIESELMAX"s high-performance motors. Incredibly, the record bid car has the same engine block and cylinder head as the production vehicle, but new pistons and high-pressure turbos up each unit"s output to 750bhp and 1,500Nm of torque. Tipping the scales at 2,700kg, DIESELMAX has one engine mounted ahead of the central cockpit, propelling the front wheels, while the other, behind the driver, powers the rear wheels. Both use individual, synchronised six-speed gearboxes, controlled by paddleshifters mounted on the steering wheel.
"Our intention is to prove the quality and performance of the JCB 444 engine on the world stage," said t he maker"s engineering chief Dr Tim Leverton. The JCB DIESELMAX will be aiming to beat the previous diesel land speed record of 235.756mph, which was set in 1973 by the US"s Thermo King Streamliner.