Nokian Tyres and Vianor at world record speed: The new world record for the fastest car on two wheels is 186.269 km/h (115.742 mph)
PRESS RELEASE 25 October 2016
The new world record was set when Nokian Tyres’ product development, Vianor’s professional pit crew and well-known stunt driver Vesa Kivimäki combined their strengths. The tyres on the record-breaking car had been reinforced with Nokian Tyres Aramid Sidewall technology. The new world record for the fastest car on two wheels was measured at Seinäjoki Airport on 31 August 2016.
The role of the tyres becomes very important at extreme speeds. This is especially true when two tyres – in practice, two palm-sized patches – are the only contact with the road. In order to break the record, the vehicle needed tyres that were as durable as possible. Nokian Tyres Aramid Sidewall technology allowed for constructing a sidewall that is particularly resistant to wear and cuts.
– When driving on two wheels, the sidewall maintains the road contact, so we had to design a special tyre for this purpose. The Aramid fibre added to the sidewall rubber compound strengthens the sidewall and gives it substantially better tear strength. This unique sidewall compound technology combined with a special structure created a specification that is suited for speed records, says Matti Morri, Technical Customer Service Manager for Nokian Tyres.
The secret behind Aramid Sidewall technology is the extremely strong aramid fibre that is also used in the aviation and defence industries. The technology is utilised in the latest SUV tyres, for example.
– The passion and creative madness required for this world record attempt are also descriptive of Nokian Tyres’ product development. We need to try new things and test our limits. Only this will allow us to develop safer, more durable tyres in the future, Morri says.
Vianor’s expert pit crew also participated in the world record by taking care of the record-breaking car and its tyres. The team could change tyres rapidly and report the condition of the car and tyres in real time to the driver.
– I have made earlier attempts to break the record for the fastest car on two wheels, but have not been successful. At some point, I realised that the key to record-breaking speed is to have tyres that are exceptionally durable. Cooperation with Nokian Tyres and Vianor made it possible to break the record, says Vesa Kivimäki, the holder of a new world record.
The world record for the fastest car on two wheels was set according to the rules defined by Guinness World Records. The car needs to be mass produced, not a prototype manufactured
for the record attempt. Within one hour, the car must drive both ways through speed measurement gates that are located one hundred metres apart. The world record is the average of these two measurements.
The record run was made on a 2-kilometre long, 50-metre wide runway. The distance used for the average speed measurement was 100 metres.
The previous record was from 1997, when the Swedish Göran Eliason drove on two wheels at a speed of 181.25 km/h (112.62 mph).
Check out the videos and more information about the new record
More information:
Vice President, Marketing and Communications Antti-Jussi Tähtinen, tel. +358 10 401 7940, antti-jussi.tahtinen@nokiantyres.com
Stunt driver Vesa Kivimäki, tel. +358 40 086 4106, vesa.kivimaki@crazydrivers.fi
The master of extreme conditions
Nokian Tyres is the world’s northernmost tyre manufacturer. The company promotes and facilitates safe driving under demanding conditions. It supplies innovative tyres for passenger cars, trucks and heavy machinery mainly in areas where extreme conditions such as snow, forests and seasonal variations place heavy demands on tyre performance.
Vianor – Probably the World's Most Comfortable Pit Stop
Vianor is a global tyre and car service chain that consists of equity owned and entrepreneurial outlets. The Nokian Tyres owned Vianor offers tyres and auto service easily, quickly and reliably covering all customer groups, products and car services. Vianor is the biggest chain of tyre stores in the Nordic countries, and comprises of over 1,470 outlets in 26 countries. The name Vianor comes from Latin words Via Nor that mean "Northern road".
Nokian Tyres is the world’s northernmost tyre manufacturer. The company promotes and facilitates safe driving in demanding conditions. It supplies innovative tyres for cars, trucks and special heavy machinery mainly in areas with special challenges on tyre performance: snow, forests and harsh driving conditions in different seasons. Nokian Tyres’ product development is consistently aiming for sustainable solutions for safety and the environment, taking into account the whole life cycle of the tyre. A part of the Nokian Tyres group, the tyre chain Vianor has 1,482 outlets in 26 countries. In 2015 Nokian Tyres had approximately 4,400 employees and net sales of approximately 1,4 billion euros. Nokian Tyres’ share is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki. Further information: www.nokiantyres.com
