| One of the major subsidiaries of Volkswagen, Bentley, | | | | within 600 meters.” |
| has given Europe’s largest automaker something | | | | The Bentley Continental GT that was used was a |
| to celebrate about when it smashed the world ice | | | | modified one but the Kankkunen ensured that the |
| speed record last week with an average speed of | | | | alterations done on the Bentley were kept to a |
| 199.86 mph (321.65 km/h) on the frozen sea off the | | | | minimum and for safety reasons a rollcage was fitted |
| coast of Finland. | | | | along with Nokian snow tires. Various aerodynamic |
| The almost standard four-wheel-drive Bentley | | | | tweaks were also made but the powertrain was |
| Continental GT which is privately owned by the world | | | | never altered despite of the fact that the car runs |
| rally star has been able to topple down the previous | | | | non-standard fuel with matching calibration to cope |
| ice speed record by a Bugatti EB110 Supersport | | | | with the extreme temperatures. |
| recording 184.14 mph (296.34 km/h) set at the same | | | | Dr. Ulrich Eichhorn, Member of the Board, Engineering |
| location. | | | | said that the record-breaking achievement of the |
| Kankkunen’s team bear the minus 30 degrees | | | | Bentley Continental GT is something that they have |
| Celsius temperature on the 10 km section of frozen | | | | expected especially since its owner is the rally record |
| sea, 50 km north of Oulu in western Finland. | | | | star Juha. “It shows that the spirit of the famous |
| Kankkunen’s team had to make it over 70 cm | | | | Bentley Boys lives on and is still harnessed by drivers |
| thick of ice which took them around 5km to hit | | | | with sufficient skill and courage to extract the full |
| optimum speed before finally reaching the start of the | | | | potential of our motor cars in extreme |
| marked kilometer where his speed was measured. | | | | conditions—though naturally, we would not |
| Despite the incomparable gripping power and traction | | | | recommend our other owners try to attempt such high |
| of the Continental GT still it experienced a wheel spin | | | | speeds on sheet ice!” |
| above 120 mph. | | | | The record-breaking achievement of the Bentley |
| But after a brief check up by the team, the Continental | | | | Continental GT also implies the remarkable quality of |
| GT continued and drove the measured kilometer for | | | | Volkswagen vehicles which streams to every |
| the second time to accomplish the judge’s | | | | component equipped in every VW masterpiece such |
| requirements reaching an amazing 205 mph (330 km | | | | as the VW coil springs or VW coilovers. Every auto |
| h). The team have not stopped there and continued | | | | parts added are carefully chosen and tested for |
| the next day to see whether they could surpass their | | | | quality and endurance. |
| record and they did. They were able to reach an even | | | | In addition, the world record set by Bentley is actually a |
| higher peak velocity of 206 mph (331km/h). But as | | | | long tradition that dates back to 1920s when some of |
| much as the team would like to continue with their | | | | the W.O’s Bentley Boys set the pace at European |
| pursuit they were held back due to the increasingly | | | | circuits. It the year 1922, John Duff drove his Bentley 3 |
| rough and snow covered track. | | | | Liter single handed for twenty-four hours at an |
| According to Kankkunen, “The Bentley performed | | | | average speed of 87 mph at Brooklands just to |
| impeccably. I was amazed how stable and secure it | | | | secure a Class record. Another 3 Litre in the year |
| felt at these high speeds, despite the track’s rough | | | | 1928 was driven by Dudley Froy and became the first |
| and icy surface being scattered with powdery snow. I | | | | car to achieve more than 115 mph over a distance of |
| even managed to stop the car from its top speed | | | | 100 miles at the same venue. |