The combination of a crazy Bentley and a nerveless Finn has created the new world speed record on ice. Finland’s four-time world rally champion Juha Kankkunen drove a Bentley Continental Supersports convertible on frozen waters of the Baltic Sea, reaching 330.695 km/h (205.48 mph) to set the benchmark. The previous record was also set by Juha in 2007 when he did 321.6 km/h in a Continental GT at the same venue.
The Anglo-Finnish team used a car with minimum mods. A fully-welded, heavy-duty safety roll-cage, along with Pirelli SottoZero II 275/40R20 winter tyres and a rear bumper-mounted parachute provided reassurance. Front and rear spoilers provided optimum high speed stability. The AWD 6.0-litre, 12-cylinder Continental Supersports convertible was fuelled with E85 bioethanol.
Man and machine overcame temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees, sudden snow blizzards and potentially dangerous crosswinds on the 16.5 km track on a 70cm-thick layer of sea ice. The record attempt was driven on a 1000 metre long measured distance with the speed certified by officials from the Finland Traffic Police. His new world record was based on the average of two runs in opposite directions with measured speeds ratified by a representative of Guinness Book of Records.
A delighted Wolfgang Dürheimer, Bentley’s new Chairman and CEO said: “The ice speed record is an amazing feat by Juha Kankkunen, whose skill and courage in extreme conditions truly make him one of the modern-day Bentley Boys. We will be celebrating this achievement with a very special ‘extreme’ Bentley, which will be the most powerful model ever to bear the famed Winged B emblem.”
This limited edition of just 100 examples will make its global debut at the Geneva show in March. Gallery after the jump.
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crazy!
i second that. more crazier than f1 circus…
At least they full use the actual engine capacity where in normal daily nor track driving condition can’t. Congratulation.
if I can ever afford a Bentley, I will fully utilize the engine capacity on a daily basis. LoL
Yeah… revving up to redline on 1st gear eh?
proved the car can go above 300kmh on a really wet road