Bentley's Arctic Driving School a Tour de Frost
Oct. 31, 2013— -- What do you get the thrillseeker who has everything? How about a posh driving class, featuring high-speed machines in extreme weather conditions at the edge of the world?
Bentley's "Power on Ice" Arctic Driving Tour is a four-day experience driving an array of Continental GT coupes and the new Flying Spur sedan under the tutelage of four-time World Rally Champion Juha Kankkunen across the icy landscapes of northern Finland. The starting price is €13,800 (just over $22,000) and includes private jet transfers from Helsinki to the Ruka Peak resort. Plus, lodging and meals.
"The first day is a driving experience tailored to your personal preferences," said Richard Durbin, news and heritage communications manager at Bentley Motors. "There is the opportunity to explore the area by snowmobile and then a nighttime Husky Safari through the forests."
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After adventures alongside White Fang's cousins, vacationers retire to the Ruka Peak boutique hotel, where private villas and chalets include fireplaces, saunas and uninterrupted views of the mountain scenery. TripAdvisor reviews of the Skyscraper Restaurant on site laud its "modern Finnish cuisine" making use of "local ingredients."
And one will definitely work up an appetite.
"The second day sees a move to perfecting more advanced driving techniques on the ice, including time with Juha Kankkunen," Durbin told ABC News, adding, "Juha has driven with Bentley for many years – twice breaking the ice speed record behind the wheel of our cars – and is an expert in ice driving."
Kankkunen noted that the 2014 addition of the Flying Spur to the tour is a unique one.
"There's going to be something special about driving a luxury car you'd expect to see in Monte Carlo or London across the snow and frozen lakes," Kankkunen said.
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Dubbed by Bentley the "fastest luxury four-door production car," the Flying Spur features a 6.0 litre W12 twin turbocharged engine delivering 616 bhp (625 PS) and a 200 mph (322 km/h) top speed.
Just 18 drivers attend each rotation of the tour, which takes place from Feb. 6 to March 6, 2014. Durbin told ABC News that in previous years, the participants have seen an equal split between men and women with everyone participating in the adrenaline-fueled activities.
But if you're just along for the ride, so to speak, the package can be tailored to each customers' needs for optimum chilling.
