Jaguar Land Rover is no stranger to crazy stunts, but the latest effort is undoubtedly its coolest. Upping the pace considerably compared to pulling a Road Train through the Australian Outback, the team at Jaguar has set a new world record for towed speed on skis in the Arctic Circle.
These stunts aren't just there to grab headlines, although that's definitely part of the appeal for Jaguar. They also serve to prove the effectiveness of certain features – in this case, All Surface Progress Control and Adaptive Surface Response. Both are designed to help drivers in slippery conditions, the likes of which the company faced at its test center in Arjeplog, Sweden.
Hooked up to the back of the XF Sportbrake, former Olympic Skier Graham Bell achieved an average speed of 189 km/h (117 mph), comfortably usurping the previous 112.65 km/h (70 mph) record. That isn't all that fast on tarmac, especially when you consider the XF is powered by a 280 kW (375 hp) supercharged V6, but it's impressive when you consider the fact it was -28°C (-18°F) outside.
"I'm really proud to have achieved this Guinness World Records title, but it was a real team effort with the engineers at Jaguar supporting me every step of the way," says Graham Bell. "The XF Sportbrake stayed perfectly composed throughout and gave me the confidence to not only beat the target but smash it by a great margin!"
Sources: Jaguar, Guinness World Records
