Modified Skoda Octavia vRS breaks 200mph at Bonneville
A specially prepared Skoda Octavia vRS has become the first Skoda to exceed 200mph, recording 202.15mph at Bonneville Speed Week in August 2011.
A Skoda Octavia vRS, modified by the manufacturer’s UK technical team and driven by automotive journalist Richard Meaden, has become the first Skoda to exceed 200mph. The car reached 202.15mph at Bonneville Speed Week in Utah on 15 August 2011, setting a new record for the brand.
The record-breaking run took place during the annual Bonneville Speed Week, a six-day event that attracts high-speed attempts from around the world. The Octavia vRS started with sub-150mph runs, gradually increasing speed in accordance with Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) regulations before making the 200mph attempt.
How Skoda prepared the Octavia vRS for 200mph
The project began with a standard production Octavia vRS saloon, which was then extensively modified by Skoda’s Milton Keynes technical team in partnership with performance specialist REVO Technik. The most substantial change was to the car’s 2.0-litre TSI engine, which saw its output raised from the factory 200bhp to a claimed 500bhp. This was achieved with an advanced Garrett turbocharger and the use of high-octane racing fuel.
To meet SCTA safety regulations for high-speed runs, the Octavia was fitted with a reinforced roll cage, a parachute, fire extinguishers and a window cage. The ride height was lowered to improve stability at speed. The car also wore a distinctive silver and green livery created by Creative FX, marking both the tenth anniversary of the vRS badge and 110 years of Skoda motorsport involvement.
Bonneville Speed Week and the record attempt
Bonneville Speed Week, held annually near Salt Lake City, is a proving ground for high-speed vehicles. Drivers must complete a series of progressively faster runs before being permitted to attempt the 200mph barrier. The Skoda team’s achievement placed the Octavia vRS among a select group of production-based cars to surpass 200mph on the salt flats.
With the 200mph milestone achieved, Skoda’s team turned their attention to the event’s 2.0-litre production car record of 216mph for the remainder of the week. The Octavia’s performance was celebrated by Skoda UK director Robert Hazlewood as a high point for the brand’s motorsport credentials.
What the record means for Skoda
Crossing the 200mph barrier at Bonneville gave Skoda a headline achievement for the vRS badge’s tenth anniversary. The project demonstrated both the engineering capability of Skoda’s UK team and the potential of the Octavia platform under extreme conditions. While the car was far from standard, its production origins and the involvement of a UK-based team underlined the connection to Skoda’s road-going models.
For more on the Octavia vRS range, seeSkoda launches Octavia vRS Limited Edition with £1,900 in extras.
