They are completed this Wednesday (August 19) exactly 15 years since a Skoda Octavia vRS reached more than 365 km/h of speed – becoming the fastest ever car of the manufacturer.
© Malcolm Griffiths / Skoda
19/08/2026
by
Fhi to 19 august 2011 Skoda Octavia vRS entered history as the fastest car ever manufacturer. It's more than 150 miles an hour.
The feat took place on the salt plains of Bonneville, United States. As the rules determine, the record was set based on two attempts, resulting from the average speed. Cifled at 365.45 km/h, but the highest individual record was 367.97 km/ h.
The record attempt took place within the G/PS category, when the brand was set at 348 km/h. Octavia was equipped with a 2.0 litre gasoline engine. At the command of this “Bonneville Special”, was journalist Richard Meaden.
The production unit had to be adapted and rebuiltwithin the limits of the rules on the number of amendments allowed. For example, the injection system was new so that more gasoline could be delivered to the injectors. A new cooling system was also put in place, with a larger radiator, while the transmission came from an Octavia GreenLine.
The brakes also had to be changed, with a parachute replacing the discs and tweezers: an option that, according to Skoda, saved weight, reduced drag and had a more effective way of stopping.
In a statement, Richard Meaden recalled his participation in the initiative: “Driving on the salt plains was a dream come true. It's always been a privilege to be able to speed up the salt. Knowing how much passion and hard work involved putting Octavia on Speed Week made this privilege even greater. I am incredibly proud of what we have all achieved and I will never forget the feeling of breaking a record and being part of such an exceptional group of people.”.
However, the absolute record of category G/PS has already been beaten. He is now in possession of Potter Brothers Passat (377,008 km/h, with Dewey Potter at the wheel in 2017).
After staying in the UK in a collection and having been the subject of a complete restoration, this Skoda who made history in Bonneville ran again in 2021. Now, it's in Chechia, permanently exposed at the Skoda Museum in Mladá Boleslav.