Ricardo Partners with JCB to Develop World's Highest Specific Power Diesel Engine for Land Speed Record Automobile

JCB recently unveiled the JCB DIESELMAX vehicle with which it aims to break the world land speed record for a diesel-powered automobile in August 2006 at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Powered by a pair of advanced four- cylinder, five-liter JCB444-LSR diesels and developed with the support of Ricardo, the JCB DIESELMAX boasts the world's highest specific power diesel engines used in any automobile application

VAN BUREN TWP., Mich., May 10 -- Ricardo is proud to have been selected by JCB as the engine development partner for the JCB DIESELMAX vehicle, as well as providing support to the program. In addition to its advanced diesel engineering expertise, Ricardo applied its state-of-the-art powertrain computer-aided engineering software to the task of assisting JCB in the development of the advanced JCB444-LSR engines, which power the JCB DIESELMAX.

Ricardo was able to draw upon its knowledge and experience of the engine architecture -- which forms the basis of the JCB444-LSR engines -- as a result of its previous role as concept engineering partner on the production JCB444 engine, from which the land speed record engines are developed and with which they share many components.

The resulting JCB444-LSR engines exhibit many of the technologies which are likely to form the basis of the next generation of high-performance, low- emissions diesel engines in both automotive as well as heavy-duty applications.

With each engine delivering peak power of 750 horsepower and torque of 1500Nm, the engines are over five times the power of the production version and at 150 horsepower per liter, they exceed even motorsports applications as the world's highest specific power diesels. At the same time the JCB DIESELMAX engines retain excellent fuel efficiency and very low-emissions through the use of advanced combustion control and diesel particulate filter technology.

"We are pleased to have been asked to play the role of JCB's engine development partner on this high-profile and exciting project. The JCB444-LSR engines of the JCB DIESELMAX push the boundaries of diesel performance and also demonstrate some of the advanced diesel technologies which are likely to be featured in future high-performing, low-emissions diesel cars," said Ian Penny, director of Ricardo Diesel Engineering. "Ricardo will continue to support the DIESELMAX project up to and including the record attempt and we wish JCB every success in breaking the land speed record for a diesel-powered vehicle."

With its North American headquarters in Van Buren Twp., Mich., Ricardo has been a world-leading vehicle system and powertrain technology provider for automotive manufacturers, heavy-duty manufacturers and tier one suppliers since 1915.

Ricardo is the premium global deep-content engineering and management consulting partner for automotive, commercial vehicle and related industry sectors. The company provides complete engineering services from strategy through product concept, design release and validation, and all phases of the product lifecycle. Ricardo technical expertise lies in powertrain and driveline, vehicle engineering, hybrid and fuel cell technologies, controls and electronics, niche volume manufacturing and advanced simulation software.

Ricardo is committed to excellence and industry leadership in people, technology and knowledge. A public company based in the U.K., Ricardo plc posted sales of $272 million in fiscal year 2005 and is a part of the FTSE techMark 100 index -- a group of innovative technology companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information, visit http://www.ricardo.com/ .