Nokian Tyres Sets New Speed Record On Ice: 206.05 mph [w/ video]
Source:
Nokian Tyres | Published:
Tue Mar 08, 2011
Setting world records on ice is proving to be very popular in Finland these
days. Bentley set its record last month (205.48 mph or 330.695 km/h) and even
created a special edition car to celebrate.
Today, the Finnish tire company
Nokian Tyres reports that they have beat that record, although not by much.
The new world record for fastest car on ice was set by their test driver Janne
Laitinen who drove 206.05 mph (331.610 km/h) on the Gulf of Bothnia in Oulu,
Finland. The record was broken on March 6th on a 9-mile (14-kilometer) ice track
in freezing conditions.
The world's leading winter tire manufacturer
equipped the record-breaking car - an Audi RS6 Sedan - with Nokian Hakkapeliitta
7 studded tires in size 255/35 R20 97 T XL.
Extreme speeds emphasize the
role of top-quality tires; they are the vehicle's only contact point with the
driving surface. When driving at exceptionally high speeds on slippery ice, the
tires must provide maximal grip, excellent structural durability and handling
properties that are in line with the car's high power.
The acceleration formula is demanding.
When a car moves at a speed of 206 mph (331 km/h), the car covers over 302 feet
(92 meters) in one second. The tires are under immense pressure at these high
speeds, and their diameter can increase by 0.6-0.8 inches (15-20 mm). As the air
resistance increases, more traction is needed in order to pick up speed.
Rules Set by Guinness World Records
The Guinness World Records
organization outlines detailed rules for ice driving world records. The time for
the one-kilometer distance is taken for driving in both directions of the track,
and the world record time is the average of these two results. The vehicle takes
a flying start. The ice has to be natural and it may not be roughed up or
treated with any chemicals. The tires must be commercially available and
approved for road traffic in the country in which the record attempt takes
place.
Nokian Tyres: Nordic Specialist
Nokian
Tyres developed the world's first winter tire for raw, subzero conditions back
in 1934. Two years later, it introduced the Hakkapeliitta, designed for northern
winters and today one of the world's best-known winter tire brands. The world's
northernmost tire manufacturer tests and develops new additions, customized for
different uses, for its winter tire family at its own test facilities in Ivalo,
200 miles (300 kilometers) north of the Arctic Circle.
Nokian Tyres is
the only tire manufacturer in the world that focuses on products and services
that facilitate safe transportation in Nordic conditions. The company's
innovative passenger car, van and heavy-duty machinery tires are mainly marketed
in areas that have snow, forest and changing seasons that make driving
conditions demanding. The company's net sales for 2010 totaled approximately EUR
1,058 million, and it had 3,500 employees.
Nokian Tyres Sets New Speed Record On Ice Photo Gallery