DOHA: Domasco, the authorised distributor for Volvo Trucks in Qatar, announced that Volvo’s Iron Knight Truck had broken world speed records for 500 metres and 1,000 metres. Reaching the top speed of 276 kilometres per hour, Volvo’s Iron Knight set the new unofficial world record for trucks covering the distance of one kilometre in 21.29 seconds. The record is being reviewed by the international motor sport association FIA. The previous record for 1km in 21.59 seconds was set in 2012 by Volvo’s Mean Green truck.
The tests were carried out on an airplane runway in Sweden. The driver was former European Truck Racing Champion Boije Ovebrink. The truck covered 500 metres in 13.7 seconds. After starting, the 4,500-kg Iron Knight can reach 100 km per hour in just 4.6 seconds. Specialists from different Volvo Trucks departments worked closely together to develop this one-of-a-kind truck with unsurpassed performance.
Apart from Volvo Trucks’ powertrain, which is the heart and soul of The Iron Knight, they’ve hand-built the truck from the ground up just for this special test. The vehicle’s diesel engine is based on Volvo’s normal design for tractor-trailer trucks. But it was modified to increase the usual power and performance. The truck was also designed to reduce wind resistance to increase speed and reduce fuel use.
Faisal Sharif, Managing Director of Domasco, said: “For many of our customers, maintaining a high average speed is important in order to save time — time that may be crucial to the transport mission. In the same way, it’s important to minimise fuel costs. What Volvo Trucks offer is an engine and gearbox that utilise their full combined potential to deliver more efficient transportation.”
Mohammad Majeed, Sales and Marketing Manager of Commercial Vehicles at Domasco, said: “Volvo Trucks are brawny steel titans that can take on any extreme road condition or climate variances while guaranteeing maximum fuel efficiency and smooth driving.”
