Skip to main content

New world record for fastest car on ice

A new world record for the fastest car on ice has been set this week by Nokian Tyres' test driver Janne Laitinen who drove 331.610 km/h (206.05 mph) on the Gulf of Bothnia in Oulu, Finland.
March 1, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
A new world record for the fastest car on ice has been set this week by 205 Nokian Tyres' test driver Janne Laitinen who drove 331.610 km/h (206.05 mph) on the Gulf of Bothnia in Oulu, Finland. The record was broken on a 14-kilometre ice track in freezing conditions and the car, a 23 Bentley, was equipped with Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 studded tyres (255/35R20 97 T XL).

The Guinness World Records organisation outlines detailed rules for ice driving world records. The time for the one-kilometre 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 and the Bentley was fitted with a parachute for emergency stops as well as a roll cage and a spoiler, although in other respects it was a standard model. The ice has to be natural and it may not be roughed up or treated with any chemicals. The tyres must be commercially available and approved for road traffic in the country in which the record attempt takes place.

Nokian Tyres developed the world's first winter tyre 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 tyre brands. The world's northernmost tyre manufacturer tests and develops new additions, customised for different uses, for its winter tyre family at its own test facilities in Ivalo, 300 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Autonomous car accidents revealed in California
    May 13, 2015
    Associated Press (AP) recently reported that three of Google's self-driving cars have been involved in accidents since September, when California allowed them to begin using public roads. The parts supplier Delphi Automotive had one accident, which an accident report the company provided to AP showed was not its fault. Delphi said at the time the car was being driven by the person the DMV requires behind the wheel during testing. US consumer rights advocate Consumer Watchdog has now called on Google
  • IRD to highlight tyre safety screening
    August 22, 2022
    IRD will present the company’s Tire Anomaly and Classification System (TACS), a proven technology for improving traffic safety and reducing emissions. Most commercial vehicle operators follow rigorous tyre safety regimes, but it is not always realistic to manually monitor and inspect commercial vehicles before a load is dispatched or after a trip is completed. 
  • Survey finds one third of parents witness near misses outside schools
    October 8, 2014
    A detailed survey carried out by international tyre manufacturer Bridgestone, road charity Brake and internet-based market research firm YouGov has revealed that a third of primary school parents have witnessed near misses outside the school gates. More than half of parents are also worried about their child’s safety near roads on the school run, as autumn arrives and the nights get darker. The survey also revealed that: Two thirds see 4-11 year olds crossing the road without holding the hand of an a
  • Welcome to the world's most liveable city, Melbourne
    September 8, 2016
    It would be hard to imagine a more appropriate venue for the 23rd ITS World Congress which runs from 10-14 October. For the 6th successive year, Melbourne has won the title of the World’s Most Liveable City, helped by its perfect 100 out of 100 score for infrastructure.