Top Gear breaks the world tractor land speed record

The typical tractor is a slow-moving piece of machinery. Although necessary to keep the nations farms running, motorists will often complain about being held up by them on the roads.

That's why Top Gear has seemingly decided to speed things up a bit, so no-one can complain, and in doing so has beaten an unusual land speed record.

See also: Jaguar E-Pace sets world record at debut

In a segment that will be featured on this week's show, the Top Gear team built its own custom tractor. Dubbed the "Track-tor" - and officially registered as a "Chevrolet Leblanc" - it features a 500hp, 5.7-litre Chevrolet V8. It's also fitted out with some unusual features for a tractor, including air suspension and four-wheel brakes.

Of course the one thing the Track-tor is intended for more than anything else is speed, and with the show's "tame racing driver", The Stig, on-hand, it set a new record for tractors.

With Guinness World Records adjudicator Jack Brockbank on hand, The Stig set a new speed record of 87.27mph. This beat the existing record of 80.87mph, set in Finland three years ago.

Top Gear presenter Matt LeBlanc said: "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."

The episode featuring the Track-tor will air on Sunday March 25 at 8pm.

By Andrew Evans