The Honda Mean Mower V2 might have its sights on recapturing the crown as the world’s fastest lawnmower, but first and foremost, it’s supposed to mow lawns.
Which is why the motorsports world heaved a sigh of appreciation when the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, founder of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, tasked the Honda super mower and its skilled driver with mowing the estate’s expansive lawn in preparation for the grand celebration, which starts today and runs through Sunday.
Although, mowing the entire lawn might be a bit of hyperbole, as can be seen in this Goodwood video, starring the Duke and Mean Machine V2.
Not to be upstaged by the mere world-class race cars at the Festival of Speed, the Mean Mower V2 also will challenge the famed Goodwood hillclimb today, piloted by race and stunt driver Jess Hawkins, currently appearing in Fast And Furious Live.
“The Honda Mean Mower V2 is a serious bit of kit, and it will be really exciting to see it burning up the Goodwood Hillclimb,” the Duke said in a Goodwood news release.
Honda first captured the world land-speed record for lawnmowers in 2014, when the original Mean Mower set the pace at 116.575 mph on a test track in Spain. But that record has since been surpassed, and the second-gen Mean Mower V2 aims to get it back again.
Based on the Honda HF 2622 lawn tractor, the V2 is estimated to be capable of 150mph, which would beat the standing record. Power is provided by a 999cc four-cylinder engine from a CBR1000RR Fireblade rated at 189 horsepower, double that of the original Mean Mower.
Mean Mower V2 was built by Team Dynamics, developers of the original Mean Mower and Honda’s British Touring Car Championship partner. The new design was re-engineered using CAD design, more bespoke parts, advanced lightweight materials and 3D printing, according to the news release.
“The original Mean Mower was a great challenge for us and the result was an amazing machine,” Dave Hodgetts, managing director at Honda UK, said in the release. “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.”
The Goodwood Festival of Speed is considered the world’s greatest motorsports garden party, held on the Goodwood estate in Chichester, UK, with about 600 vehicles of all eras on display and highlighted by a continuous series of timed runs up the iconic Goodwood hill. For more information, visit the event website.
I am very curious to know if this mower can actually cut grass at that speed…is there a before and after picture of what the grass looks like?
Add folding wings and you would have a flying lawnmower…..I guess that will be the next advancement to the lawnmower. Then you could fly from job to job. How cool would that be.