Volvo Trucks’ Iron Knight Beats Two World Speed Records

Volvo Trucks’ custom-built prime mover - the Iron Knight, which is also world’s fastest truck, has beaten another two speed records in the standing-start 500- and 1000-metre categories.

Driven by Boije Ovebrink, who has more than 30 years’ experience of both car and truck racing, the record-breaking Iron Knight truck is custom-built in every respect apart from the engine and the series-manufactured I-Shift Dual Clutch transmission.  

“This shows that our I-Shift Dual Clutch transmission has enormous potential and that it does not let you down under extreme conditions. The fact that the world record-breaker uses the very same gearbox that is found in our series-built FH trucks is something that we’re really proud of,” says Claes Nilsson, President and CEO of Volvo Trucks.

That said, below is the video of the Iron Knight in action:

With an average speed of 169 km/h and a time of 21.29 seconds, The Iron Knight, which is powered by a 13-litre mid-mounted engine capable of kicking out 2400hp and 6000Nm of maximum torque, beat the international speed record for 1000 metres from a standing start. It also beat the corresponding record for the 500-metre distance, at 131.29 km/h and 13.71 seconds.

The record run was carried out at a closed-off test track in northern Sweden. At the time of publication, the records are being reviewed by the FIA, the international motor sport association.

“Specialists from several different Volvo Trucks departments worked closely together to develop a truck with unsurpassed performance. Apart from Volvo Trucks’ powertrain, which is the heart and soul of The Iron Knight, we’ve hand-built the truck from the ground up. The fact that we succeeded in securing not just one record but two is absolutely amazing,” says Olof Johansson, a technician at Volvo Trucks.

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