Octavia hits high note on way to new record

A team assembled by Skoda in the UK has broken through the 200 miles per hour threshold at the Bonneville salt flats in the US — driving a modified Octavia vRS.

The team achieved the impressive speed of 202.15 MPH (325km/h) four days earlier than planned, and driver Richard Meaden will now attempt to match or beat the existing world record for 2.0-litre production cars, 216 MPH (348km/h).

Skoda in the UK is treating the record attempt as a promotional effort to mark the 10th anniversary of the Octavia vRS, known in Australia as merely the Octavia RS.

“Months of rigorous planning, testing and preparation have all been worthwhile, ” says Robert Hazelwood, Director for Skoda UK.

“At 13:24 on Monday 15th August, we took our Octavia vRS past the 200 mph barrier.  The entire team has done an outstanding job.  Our special thanks go to Richard on an incredible drive.

“This marks another exciting milestone in the brand’s motorsport achievements and is a great way to celebrate 10 years of the vRS range and commemorate 110 years of ŠKODA’s participation in motorsport.”

According to Skoda, the Octavia participating at Bonneville started life as a standard car, but has been lowered 80mm for better aerodynamics and has scored a race-ready intercooler and a larger Garrett turbocharger. Boosted to over 30 PSI and running on racing fuel blended with water and ethanol, the the Octavia produces 500bhp.

Safety concessions included a roll cage, a parachute (see second pic), fire extinguishers and a window cage.

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