There was a time within living memory when the most popular BMW available—namely the 2002—had to work hard to exceed a top speed of 110 miles per hour. Demonstrating how far the marque progressed in 30 years, an E92 BMW 3 Series has been recognized with a Guinness World Record for speed. Even more interesting is that the record-setting Bimmer is a diesel. Take that, Volkswagen and Audi.
This particular BMW 330d, piloted by Finnish stunt driver Vesa Kivimäki, did not pursue a world speed record the way most cars do—on four wheels. No, this diesel 3 Series did it the hard way—on two wheels.
Guinness calls it a side wheelie. A normal wheelie for a car happens when the two front wheels come off the ground under rapid acceleration, leaving only the two rear wheels in contact with the pavement and is usually associated with drag racers. A side wheelie is achieved when two wheels on the same side of the car are the only ones touching the road.
Perhaps the most famous side wheelie that most people remember happened in "Diamonds Are Forever," when James Bond put a 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1 on two wheels to escape the Las Vegas police on Fremont Street. That movie magic was significant not for how fast or how far Bond traveled on two wheels, but for starting the side wheelie in an alley on the right two wheels, but somehow coming out of the same alley on the left two wheels.
There was no Hollywood trickery for the world record fastest side wheelie, however. On August 31, 2016 on an airport runway in Seinäjoki, Finland, the 41-year old Kivimäki put the BMW 330d on two wheels and proceeded to keep it there while he achieved an average speed of 115.742 miles per hour, breaking the 19-year old record of 112.62 miles per hour. The distance required to set a new record was 100 meters.
The BMW was equipped with a roll cage, race seats and harness, and a welded differential. The all-important tires were Nokians which, like the driver, are Finnish.
Setting a side wheelie world speed record with a BMW is amazing, but it is not unique. BMW is no stranger to side-wheelie records. On February 26, 2009, Italian Michele Pilia set a record for the longest side wheelie when he drove a1983 E30 BMW 316i on two wheels for 230.57 miles. The little Bimmer was modified with a larger fuel tank and a welded differential. Pilia accomplished this incredible demonstration of skill and concentration in the Sant'Elia Stadium in Cagliari, Italy.
Have a look at the Guinness video of the world speed record attempt. You can almost smell the smoking rubber from the tire sidewalls.—Scott Blazey
[Photos and video courtesy of Guinness World Records.]
