Finland’s four-time world rally champion Juha Kankkunen drove a Bentley Continental Supersports convertible across the frozen Baltic Sea at a staggering 205.48 mph – setting a new world speed record on ice.
Pretty mind blowing driving, and, brilliant though our three-point turns are, we’re not sure we’ll be trying it at home.
Kankkunen was behind the wheel of a 6-litre, 12-cylinder Continental Supersports convertible, which runs on biofuel.
The driving champ overcame the challenges of temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees, sudden snow blizzards and potentially dangerous crosswinds on the 16.5km track on a 70cm-thick layer of sea ice.
“When I heard about the Supersports I was determined to go record breaking again with the Bentley Boys. This time, with over 600bhp under the bonnet, a Quickshift transmission and the security of the all-wheel drive system, the Supersports convertible was the perfect car to go for the record. ” Kankkunen said.
“200mph came up after 5km on sheet ice. Then it was just a question of getting everything right in the timing zone and hoping the snow kept away.”
