Supercar on display

The JCB Dieselmax was on show at Ricardo, Shoreham Airport, after the firm helped JCB to develop its new engines.

It is expected the car will travel in excess of 300mph at the record attempt, which will take place at the Bonneville Salt Flats, in Utah, USA, in August.

Dave Shemmans, chief executive of Ricardo, said: "Nobody expected JCB to go for a land speed record. It will make history and leave a good legacy.

"It is a great project to be involved with. They are going for a world record. It is not one of the safest, but you have to go after these things."

The JCB Dieselmax includes parachute brakes and

ice-cooled engines. It will be dri-ven by RAF Wing Commander Andy Green, who piloted the Thrust SSC car.

Ricardo director of diesel Ian Penney said: "JCB is a very proud, British company, and it wanted to make its own engines.

"We helped JCB design the engine and it has been very successful."

Mr Shemmans added: "For us, it has been a great engineering experience. It is British engineering, which we are delighted to flag up."