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207km/h. Do that speed, even once, in most countries and you'll feel the long arm of the law on your shoulder. It's pretty quick, but when you take it as an average speed, things get a bit more serious.
And that's exactly why Manxman Mark Higgins is certifiably insane. He has recently pedalled a Prodrive-prepped WRX STI around the 60.72 kilometres of the famous Isle of Man TT course in 17 minutes and 35 seconds. That's an average speed of 207.17km/h, only a few clicks slower than the quickest bikes are managing on the course these days. Average speed. Just let that sink in.
Now, as capable as the WRX STI is, there is no way that a showroom model could achieve that laptime. Mark's previous record, set in 2014, stood at 187.44km/h using a production-spec car (YouTube it, a great watch). Subaru's American division therefore enlisted the help of Prodrive, best known for running the Legacy and Impreza rally cars during the 90's and 00's. The old WRC car parts bin was raided for much of the car, but with everything turned up to 11. This has resulted in an output of over 600hp, a weight below 1200kg and fancy bits like a semi-auto gearbox boasting a shift time of eight milliseconds and a DRS system for the rear wing. Dunlop slicks lifted straight from BTCC touring cars and big AP Racing brakes take care of gripping and stopping. Long gearing means a theoretical top speed of over 290km/h, so this wide-arched monster is one serious bit of kit. There's even an old Nokia mobile phone in the cockpit...
Higgins himself is one of the best pilots around, and being from the island is an advantage as he knows the 200-plus corners of Snaefell Mountain better than most. His résumé includes spells as a works rally driver for Nissan and Vauxhall, so he is no stranger to speed. The amazing thing is, both Mark and the team reckon that there is still more to come from the car, so don't be too surprised if they go even quicker before the week is out...