Idris Elba Broke an 88-Year-Old Speed Record in a Bentley

Successful actors make pretty good money— so we often feature them in their fancy new cars. This time, though, the actor isn’t just showing off his car, but his driving skills. Idris Elba broke an 88-year-old flying mile speed record in a Bentley.
The previous record for a flying mile at the Pendine Sands in Wales was 174.8 mph set back in 1927. The record-holder was Sir Malcolm Campbell who drove a Napier-Campbell Blue Bird. It was a vehicle built specifically for speed.
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Elba broke the record by averaging 180.361 mph in a Bentley Continental GT Speed. The actor is a noted car enthusiast, but this wasn’t just for fun to see if he could pull it off. The bit was filmed for a new Discovery Channel series titled Idris Elba: No Limits, which is set to air in July.
A flying mile is different from other timed races that start the clock when the driver hits the gas. Instead, a flying mile lets a driver get up to speed before entering a timed zone. His 186 mph speed is more respectable considering he drove on a beach of wet, packed sand.