World's First 200mph Skoda

 The mechanics moving this Skoda won't, as the old joke goes, need a heated windscreen to warm their hands as they push it out of the garage. The Czech firm, once the butt of many an unfair joke, will celebrate the 10th year of its vRS Octavia performance flagship with a 200mph attempt at Bonneville Speed Week in the USA. The Octavia vRS has become something of a performance icon among car fans, and Skoda is hoping to join the exclusive 200mph club to celebrate its tenth year.
It'll make its 200mph attempt at the Bonneville Speed Week, held on the salt flats near Wendover, Utah. The flats cover around 50 square miles of the state and are famous for high speed records. The more usual hot-rods and racers will be joined by Skoda as it takes an Octavia vRS to Bonneville to attempt to break the magic double ton.
To do so the Octavia vRS has been modified; as fast as the standard car is, its 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine's 200bhp isn't quite man enough to achieve 200mph - the standard car stops accelerating at 149mph. To help it on its way to 200mph technicians at Skoda UK's Milton Keynes base have added a massive new turbocharger to the engine and filled the fuel tank with some high-octane race fuel.
The result is 600bhp - more three times the standard output. That should help the vRS achieve its goal, but Skoda's engineers have also dropped the ride height and removed drag-producing items like wing mirrors to allow it to cut through the air more effectively.
To conform with racing regulations the interior is fitted with a full roll cage, a fire extinguisher and a parachute to help it stop. Despite the modifications the vRS qualifies as a production car for the event. It will run in the 2.0-litre production car class.

World's First 200mph Skoda

Robert Hazelwood, Director for Skoda UK, said: "The 10-year relationship between the UK and the vRS badge has been extremely successful. This is a landmark anniversary and going to Bonneville is a fitting tribute. It's also an ambitious project which might surprise a few people, but Skoda is all about engineering excellence and this car is pushing that to new limits." The car will cover a nine-mile straight on its attempt, with the middle section timed. The car must then run the course in the opposite direction to record its average speed. Bonneville Speed Week takes place on the 13-10 August.
Post Source: http://www.carenthusiast.co.uk/