332.2kph: Autocar sets new top speed record in India

Autocar India, the country’s leading automotive magazine and sister publication of Autocar Professional, has officially set the fastest recorded speed on Indian soil.

Race driver and Autocar India tester, Aditya Patel driving a regular 610hp Audi R8 V10 Plus clocked a maximum speed of 332.2kph in controlled conditions on a closed road outside Hyderabad.

The aim was to break the record 324.2kph top speed set by Formula 1 driver Jaime Alguersuari at the Buddh International Circuit during the 2011 Indian Grand Prix.

The biggest challenge was finding a suitable road that could be shut to the public while safely attempting the record run. After four months of scouring the country for a suitable venue, the Autocar team found the ideal road, which met the safety standards required for this high-speed run. A five-lane, seven-kilometre-long partially constructed section of Hyderabad’s Outer Ring Road (ORR) was identified and closed off with the help of the local authorities.

The new Audi R8 V10 Plus was chosen as the car to set the record because apart from having the power and performance to achieve the target speed, its four-wheel-drive system and overall chassis balance offers a level of confidence to the driver at high speeds like no other supercar.

Aditya Patel strapped himself into the Audi R8 V10 Plus which was in standard showroom trim with no modifications whatsoever. The R8 was fitted with sophisticated data acquisition systems to accurately record the top speed.

On his first run itself, Aditya hit 332.2kph, besting Audi’s official claim of a 330kph top speed for the R8 V10 Plus. At this speed, the R8 V10 Plus was maxed out, hitting the 8500rpm rev limiter in seventh gear. In fact, Aditya achieved his record-breaking speed in 5.1km, leaving him an ample distance of 2km to slow down.

“With the right road and the right car, it was amazing how easy it was achieve this speed in complete safety. No doubt, at speeds beyond 300kph, you feel every ripple on the road and all five lanes dramatically narrow to give you tunnel vision, the faster you go. I expected the R8 to move around a bit with so much wind buffeting the car but I was astonished with its stability and composure. It feels fabulous to be a part of this exhilarating, record-breaking experience,” said Aditya Patel after breaking the record.

Also joining the very exclusive 200mph (320kph) club and breaking the previous record was Hormazd Sorabjee, editor, Autocar India, who hit an officially recorded 331.9kph after Aditya had completed his run. “I’m not a racing driver, so I was pretty nervous and took an initial exploratory run to gain confidence but in the end maxing out the R8 on a closed road with good visibility all round, was pretty stress-free.”

Representatives from the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), Ernst & Young and the Limca Book of Records were present to officially certify the record-breaking run which is now etched in Indian motoring history.