Finnish tire manufacturer Nokian Tyres has smashed the ice driving speed record (again) using a stock Audi RS6 on new eight-generation Hakkapeliitta studded winter tires.
The new record was set by the company's test driver, Janne Laitinen, at 208.6 miles per hour (335.6 km/h), thus beating Nokian Tyres' previous entry, set in March 2011, by 2.5 mph (4 km/h).
The set this new Guinness World Records submission, the Finnish team took the car on a 7.5-mile course prepared over the Gulf of Bothnia's frozen waters.
For the record to be acknowledged, Nokian Tyres had to comply to a set of rules. The car has to run the track in both directions within an our, the ice must be natural with any chemical treatment to aid grip forbidden, and the tires must be commercially available and approved for road use in the country where the attempt is made.
"Relentless testing at the extreme limits always works to serve the interests of the consumer. We wanted to set an extremely tough challenge for the new Hakkapeliitta 8. At extreme speeds, the forces focused on the tyres are enormous, as the car travels over 93 meters per second and the studs hit the ice 43 times. As the air resistance increases, we need even more grip to accelerate the car. In addition to grip, handling and stability are also essential," sayd Matti Morri, Technical Customer Service Manager for Nokian Tyres.
What the Finnish company setting this amazing record in the video below:
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News