Finnish tractor brand Valtra has successfully smashed the world record for fastest tractor by setting an impressive speed of 130.165 km/h with its brand new T234 model.
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The record-breaking attempt took place on February 9 this year in sub-zero winter conditions on the emergency airfield of Vuojärvi in northern Finland.
The total length of the packed snow strip was approximately 2300 metres, with a 50-metre speed trap set up in the centre of the strip.
For the attempt, Valtra’s T234 from its brand new T series launched last year was fitted with the world’s first winter tyre for tractors, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta TRI by Finnish tyre manufacturer Nokian Tyres.
Multiple World Rally Champion Juha Kankkunen got behind the wheel for the record-smashing drive.
“I have done top speed tests earlier in several cars… this was the first time with a tractor and we immediately achieved a world record,” Kankkunen says.
“The tyres and tractor worked really well together even though the weather was challenging.”
Guinness World Records adjudicators measured the time and speed for the tractor to travel through the 50-metre speed trap in both directions and took the average of the two measurements as the world record speed.
Nokian Tyres R&D project manager Tero Saari says the record-breaking attempt was the ultimate test of performance for the company’s new Nokian Hakkapeliitta TRI tyre range launched last year.
“It is quite a remarkable sight when you see a 7.7-ton machine flying past at over 130 km/h with a quadruple World Rally Champion behind the wheel,” Saari says.
“When a tractor is driven that fast on a winter road, it requires great grip, stability and handling properties.
“These have been our targets during the development of the Nokian Hakkapeliitta TRI.”
This is not the first world record achieved by the tyre manufacturer as its Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 studded winter tyre helped the Audi RS6 achieve the title of ‘Fastest Car on Ice’ in 2013.
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