Press Releases
25 January 2012
BENTLEY’S GREAT WINTER DRIVING ADVENTURE
- POWER ON ICE heads for Finland, 5-26 February 2012
- High-adrenaline ice driving with the 198mph, all-wheel drive Continental GT
- A unique, luxury winter break with Bentley in Lapland
Crewe / Finland — Whether you have a passion for speed and a desire to put your driving skills to the ultimate test - or you’re simply seeking an exclusive, luxury winter break with a twist - Bentley’s Power on Ice adventure is set to deliver.
Next month Bentley is returning to the idyllic, far-north of Finland – a location where it has shattered two ice speed driving records with the four-time World Rally Champion Juha Kankkunen – to offer guests the chance to enjoy driving the 6.0 litre 567bhp (575PS) Continental GT coupe and the 621bhp (630PS) ultra high performance Continental Supersports coupe on one of the world’s most unusual and challenging test tracks.
“The circuits are crafted from snow and ice and are unlike any other track or road you have seen before,” says Peter Barnes a senior instructor with Bentley Driving.
“Power on Ice mixes the pure exhilaration of slaloming a Bentley supercar on a purpose-built course or taking a spin around a ‘figure of eight’ track, with the opportunity to acquire advanced techniques from a personal instructor, that will enable drivers to handle their cars with confidence even in the harshest weather conditions,” Peter explains.
Bentley’s record-breaking exploits in Finland have captured many people’s imagination and provided the inspiration for this unique driving experience. Bentley’s Continental range is ideally suited for winter driving with their state-of-the-art, all-wheel drive system employing an advanced Torsen differential. This ensures safe yet dynamic sports car handling on all road surfaces and in all weathers.
The power split for the all-wheel drive system has a 40:60 rear bias for sporting handling and spirited mid-corner acceleration. However, it can adjust the power split instantaneously between the front and rear wheels depending on the available grip. The sophisticated Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system provides additional security and grip whatever the driving style.
In February 2011, Finnish motorsport legend Juha Kankkunen, driving the all-wheel drive Continental Supersports Convertible on the frozen Baltic Sea, achieved an astonishing speed of 205.48 mph (330.695 km/h) eclipsing his own ice speed record of 199.83 mph (321.6 km/h) set in 2007 in the original Continental GT.
“As well as drawing inspiration from Juha’s world records, Bentley’s engineers and professional drivers have used Finland’s extreme conditions to enhance the safety and handling capabilities of our cars. We’ve got a great deal of knowledge and expertise to share but the accent for Power on Ice will always be on fun and taking part in something far more memorable than a normal skiing holiday,” adds Peter.
After a hard day of high-speed ‘slaloming’ Bentley’s high-performance supercars, there is the chance to indulge in some well-deserved luxury at the mountainside Ruka Peak hotel. Fine dining in front of roaring open fires, relaxing in the sauna, as well as taking the odd shopping trip or ‘husky-powered’ nature excursion across frozen lakes is all part of the Bentley experience.
And for those guests seeking the chance to escape from the crowd for a few days, the cottages and apartments in the grounds of the Ruka Peak hotel, all furnished in traditional Scandinavian style, offer welcome and additional privacy and space.
The Bentley Power on Ice adventure is open to all driving enthusiasts and for detailed information about available dates, accommodation options and pricing please join us at http://www.bentleymotors.com/world_of_bentley/power_on_ice_2012/
Notes to editors
- Bentley Motors is the third largest R&D investor in the UK's automotive sector and the 18th largest nationally. The company employs almost 4,000 people in Crewe which is home to all its operations including design, R&D, engineering and production. The combination of fine craftsmanship, using skills that have been handed down through generations, alongside engineering expertise and cutting-edge technology is unique to UK luxury vehicle manufacturers such as Bentley. It is also an example of high-value British manufacturing at its best. Bentley exports over £500m worth of goods every year to established markets like the US, as well as emerging markets such as China and South America.
- Bentley’s global sales for 2011 increased by 37% with 7,003 cars delivered. This growth was led by the Chinese region (1876 cars sold) with mainland China (excl. Hong Kong and Taiwan) up 104.17% (1664 cars). However, the Americas remains the biggest market for Bentley with 2,021 cars delivered (up 32%) in 2011. All major markets were up with Europe up by over a half, due mainly to high demand in Germany (up by nearly 90%). The UK market proved to be more challenging, but still saw an increase of over five per cent. The surge in sales was led by demand for the new Continental GT. Over one third of all Bentley sales in 2011 were GTs with 2404 delivered. December 2011 was Bentley’s best month since the recession and the second highest ever, boosted by the first deliveries of the new soft-top Continental GTC. We have ambitious but realistic plans to continue this growth in 2012.
For further information about this press release please contact:
Michael Baumann – Communications Director
Michael.Baumann@Bentley.co.uk + 44 (0) 1270 535 189
Martin Broomer. Head of Product Communications, Bentley Motors
martin.broomer@bentley.co.uk + 44 (0)1270 535 044
Richard Durbin. Product Public Relations Manager, Bentley Motors
Richard.durbin@bentley.co.uk + 44 (0)1270 535 043
