Skoda’s Enyaq electric SUV has set two Guinness World Records by drifting around a course carved into a frozen lake in Sweden.
The Enyaq iV vRS claimed the ‘Longest Continuous Vehicle Drift on Ice’ record after sliding around the 1.2-mile (1.9 km) ice circle for almost 16 minutes, during which it covered 4.568 miles (7.351 km).
That effort easily eclipsed the previous record of 3.872 miles (6.231 km) set in China in 2022, and being an EV meant that in setting the overall drift record the Enyaq also set the ice drift record for electric cars. In terms of speed, the drifts weren’t exactly in the Formula Drift class: the Enyaq topped out at 30 mph (49 kmh) during the record run, and at times was traveling at just 20 mph (32 kmh), so its 295 hp (299 PS) twin-motor powertrain wasn’t exactly overworked.
Related: Skoda Enyaq iV RS Blends Practicality With 295 HP And A 310-Mile Range
The vRS is the new performance model in Skoda’s Enyaq model lineup, but was bone-stock apart from a set of Däckprofssen studded tires. Skoda spent several days prior to setting the record trying different tire combinations to find the best setup. In the end the team went for 235/35 20 rubber on the front with 600 0.2-in (5 mm) studs, and 255/45 R20 rear boots fitted with 300 studs measuring just 0.08-in (2 mm).
The other secret weapon was the driver. Evo magazine journalist Richard Meaden is no stranger to going sideways, or to setting records behind the wheel of a Skoda. Back in 2011 Meaden took a specially built Skoda Octavia vRS to 227.08 mph (365.5 kmh) on the Bonneville Salt Flats, setting a Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) speed record for a 2.0-liter turbocharged vehicle.
