Stand aside Sir Malcolm, because you’re no longer the fastest man Pendine Sands, Wales has ever seen. Actor Idris Elba just went 180.361 mph (290.262 km/h) in a 206 mph Bentley Continental GT Speed.
Sir Malcolm Campbell record of 174.8 mph (281.3 km/h), set behind the wheel of his legendary Napier-Campbell Blue Bird, stood for 88 years. But that was before Stringer Bell showed up in his 206 mph (331 km/h) Bentley GT Speed.
The former ‘Wire’ actor was quoted as saying “I’m absolutely elated to have broken the ‘Flying Mile’ at Pendine Sands. It’s an honour to have taken on the challenge, and to successfully follow in the footsteps of the illustrious Sir Malcolm Campbell.”
The record was broken while Elba was filming his upcoming four-part Discovery Channel series called ‘Idris Elba: No limits’, and he managed to do it despite challenging tidal conditions.
The car he used was definitely a good choice since you really can’t go wrong with a 6 liter twin turbo W12 engine when it comes to high speeds. The GT Speed is good for 635 PS and 820 Nm (604 lb-ft) and can reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 4.2 seconds.
The Speed version of the Continental GT also features an enhanced chassis with up-rated springs and anti-roll bars, a lowered ride height (10 mm front & rear) and re-tuned electronic damping and steering.
Hopefully, it won’t take another 88 years before this record is broken once again, since there are quite a few cars that can go even faster than the GT Speed.
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