Honda is working on the world’s fastest lawn mower, which will reach speeds of up to 150mph (240 km/h).
The ‘Mean Mower V2’ features a 999cc engine that is capable of churning out 189 horsepower and sending the garden vehicle from 0-60mph in less than three seconds.
That makes the Mean Mower V2 more powerful than the base model Audi A3 (103 bhp) and quicker than a Ferrari 488 (0-60 mph in 3.0 seconds).
Honda wants to retake the crown of world’s fastest lawn mower after losing its mantle to a Norwegian company in 2014.
The company is still putting the final touches to the design and it’s unknown when the record-breaking attempt will be made.
Honda UK is building the world’s fastest lawn mower which will aim to surpass 150 mph (240 km/h). The ‘Mean Mower V2’ will feature a 999cc engine that is capable of churning out 189 horsepower and sending the garden vehicle from 0-60mph in just three seconds (pictured)
Honda is hoping to squeeze every last drop of speed out of its creation, and wants to retake the crown after losing its record to a Norwegian company in 2014
The V2’s predecessor was listed as the World’s Fastest Lawn mower in 2013, when it reached 116.575 mph (187 km/h).
This was topped a year later when a Viking mower, made by a Norwegian group and fitted with a Corvette’s V8 engine, reached 134 mph (2156 km/h) a year later.
Dave Hodgetts, Managing Director at Honda UK, said: ‘The original Mean Mower was a great challenge for us and the result was an amazing machine.
‘This time we have moved the game on considerably to build an incredible piece of real engineering, using advanced design and production techniques and calling upon some very clever thinking to bring the performance and power but still retain the look of the production mower.
‘We’re in testing phase now and everything is looking good, with a top speed of more than 150mph (240 km/h) very much in our sights.’
It hopes to reach 150mph by using the four-cylinder engine from the Honda’s CBR1000RR Fireblade SP motorcycle.
It isn’t just the engine that is pillaged from the superbike, with the six-speed gearbox, LCD display and clutch also being re-purposed.
The rest of the machine has been custom-built, as engineers strive to find the optimal balance between strength and lightness.
Honda used ‘bespoke parts, advanced materials, and 3D printing’ reducing the dry-weight of the engine to 152 lbs (69.1 kg).
The V2’s predecessor was listed as the World’s Fastest Lawn mower back in 2013, when it reached 116.575 mph (187 km/h) in 2013
Despite possessing the stats of a high-end car, the creation will also be capable of actually cutting crass, with two carbon fibre blades and a cuttings collection box affixed at the rear of the the Mean Mower V2
The Mean Mower V2 uses the four-cylinder engine from the Honda’s CBR1000RR Fireblade SP motorcycle but it isn’t just the engine that is pillaged from the superbike, with the six-speed gearbox, LCD display and clutch also being re-purposed
Engineers predict that this will produce a power to weight ratio of 1000bhp/tonne.
Despite possessing the stats of a high-end car, the creation will still be able to cut grass, with two carbon fibre blades and a cuttings collection box affixed at the rear of the the Mean Mower V2.
It is unlikely the lawn mower will cut grass at the target of 150 mph (240 km/h), with the previous version only functional up to a more docile 15 mph (24 km/h).
Honda created the V2 with ‘bespoke parts, advanced materials, and 3D printing’and reduced the dry-weight of the engine to just 152 lbs (69.1 kg)
There is no news as to when this record attempt will be made, but it will be driven by 23-year-old Fast and Furious stunt Driver Jess Hawkins
Even at its mowing speed, this is around twice as fast as regular lawn mowers.
There is no news as to when this record attempt will be made, but it will be driven by 23-year-old Fast and Furious stunt Driver Jess Hawkins.
Previous record holder, Piers Ward spoke in March about Ms Hawkins stepping in for him this time around.
‘Frankly, I’m delighted she’s on board,’ Mr Ward said.
‘I’ve simply not taken the necessary brave pills to set this particular record.’