BBC TopGear Magazine and Honda Unleash the Stig on a 130mph Ride-on Lawnmower

LONDON, July 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

In response to an as yet untapped requirement for extreme lawn-care equipment, TopGear Magazine has teamed up with Honda to produce just that - the MeanMower.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130717/629345-a )

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130717/629345-b )

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130717/629345-c )

Loosely based on the Honda HF2620 ride-on, the MeanMower was stripped and re-built by Honda's British Touring Car experts at Team Dynamics, adding a spaceframe chassis, a 1000cc Honda VTR Firestorm motorbike engine, bespoke suspension and tyres from a racing ATV.

But despite looking like the standard mower, the Honda now produces 109bhp and 71lb ft - making it theoretically capable of zero to 60mph in under four seconds, and a record-breaking top speed of around 130mph. And it still cuts grass.

The mower managed 100.03mph on track at TopGear Magazine's annual Speed Week event - a tyre-shredding test of 14 of the year's best performance machines. Watch the Stig drive it here: http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/top-gear-magazine-speed-week-2013-7-17

See the full story in the latest issue of TopGear Magazine, available in print and on iPad, on sale today. Or go to http://www.topgear.com/speedweek.

"With the TopGear lawn to mow and a Stig on the staff, it seemed perfectly normal to work with Honda to create this thing," said BBC TopGear Magazine's Piers Ward. "Though I have to say, having driven it, I've never been so terrified. It accelerates like a rocket and, like any mower, there aren't any seatbelts."

Ellie Ostinelli, Honda (UK) said; "Our brief was very straightforward - we wanted a super-fast lawnmower which retained the look of a mower, but above all else, it needed to still cut grass. Honda is a great believer in pushing boundaries…and we love a challenge!"

Team Dynamics team manager Peter Crolla added, "To our knowledge, this has never been done before, certainly using this mower/engine and Stig combination. Our biggest engineering challenge was the need to retain the look of the lawn mower and the ability to still cut grass. The engine's low weight and exceptionally accessible performance has been the key ingredient for the project."

Editor's notes:

BBC Top Gear Magazine (UK) has a combined print and digital circulation of 155,017 (ABC Jan-Jul 12). With a market share of 35.8%, BBC TopGear Magazine has more than one in every three of copies sold in the total core motoring market

Media contact:
Simon Carrington, Publisher BBC Top Gear,
E: [email protected]
T: +44(0)207-150-5572  M: +44(0)7734-682-018

SOURCE BBC Top Gear Magazine