Honda UK sets new Guinness World Record
By Jamie White – Head of Communications
Honda UK’s Mean Mower has officially broken the Guinness World Record title for the fastest lawnmower, averaging 116.57 mph to break the previous record by almost 30mph.
The successful attempt took place at the IDIADA Proving Ground, in Tarragona, Spain under the watchful eye of a Guinness World Records adjudicator.
Behind the wheel of Honda’s 1000cc 109HP Mean Mower was Piers Ward of BBC Top Gear Magazine, who had previously achieved a fastest speed on Mean Mower of 87mph.
The speed was measured through a 100 metre speed trap, overseen by official timers. To meet Guinness World Records regulations the mower had to record the same run, in both directions, within an hour – with the average speed taken of these two runs.
Additionally, to qualify for the record it needed to cut grass and to look like a lawnmower; both of which it did successfully.
Ellie Ostinelli, PR Communications Manager for Honda UK said: “The original brief for Mean Mower was to create the world’s fastest lawnmower – and now it officially is, by some distance! We are all delighted to hold a Guinness World Record title and we’d like to thank everyone who was involved in what has been a challenging, yet incredibly, exciting project.”
Mean Mower was designed and built in the UK by Honda UK’s British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) partner, Team Dynamics. The team re-engineered a Honda HF2620 Lawn Tractor from the ground-up, adding an all-new fabricated chassis, custom-made from 4130 chromoly, to provide a strong, safe but very light platform. A 1000cc engine from a Honda VTR Firestorm was used, along with a bespoke suspension and wheels from an ATV.
The ability to still cut grass was also a key element of the brief, and the super-fast mower still can, thanks to two electric motors on the cutter deck, spinning 3mm steel cutting cable at an incredible 4000rpm. The mower can cut grass at around 15mph, more than double the flat-out speed of the original HF2620 from which it is derived.
Based on feedback from Honda Yuasa Racing drivers, three times BTCC champion Matt Neal and 2012 champion Gordon Shedden, the mower features a custom-made paddle shift six-speed gear system. Additionally it has a custom-made Cobra sports seat, a Scorpion exhaust system and a steering rack taken from a Morris Minor.
The result of this remarkable feat of engineering is a lawn mower set-up and geared to achieve a top speed in excess of 130mph, weighing just 140kg, producing 96Nm of torque, an incredible PTW ratio of 532bhp/tonne; and an estimated 0-60 of just four seconds.
You can watch the Honda UK #MeanMower video here – http://youtu.be/DFo7ztlMlmg
Douglas Stafford provides Honda UK with a tailored and bespoke mystery shopping and customer experience programme to include Video Mystery Shopping.
