Bentley Flying Spur Speed Sets Winter Lap Record in Sweden
The Bentley Flying Spur Speed has once again proved its exceptional performance in all conditions by setting a new ‘winter lap record’ at the world’s most northerly active race circuit.
The Flying Spur Speed set the record at the Drivecenter Arena circuit in Fällfors, northern Sweden, just 100 miles from the Arctic Circle, on a former military airbase. The team covered the entire 2.05-mile track in 12 inches of ice and snow, yet the car completed laps in under three minutes. The fastest lap stopped the clock at 2:58, making it the quickest winter lap ever recorded at the facility. The Flying Spur Speed delivered outstanding agility through its variable four-wheel-drive system and rear-wheel steering, and it reached 120 mph during the record run, despite a 450-metre-long straight coated in sheet ice.
Bentley drew inspiration from key moments in its history, including the brand’s Ice Speed Records in 2007 and 2011, and the one-hour endurance record set by a Turbo R at Millbrook Proving Ground in the UK in 1986, where it averaged 140 mph around the banked bowl. While the conditions echoed the Ice Speed Records, Bentley used a Flying Spur Speed, registration Y15 BML, with a specification matched to the Turbo R in Bentley’s Heritage Collection. The team chose Brooklands Green paintwork, yellow fine lines, and an interior in Linen, Cumbrian Green and Open Pore Walnut to mark the Turbo R’s 40th birthday this year.
The Flying Spur Speed delivers confident, high-performance driving in all conditions through its Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain and advanced chassis technology. A 600 PS 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 works with a 190 PS electric motor integrated within an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. In Sport Mode, the system delivers 782 PS and 1,000 Nm, with instant electric torque complementing the distinctive cross-plane V8 beat.
In pure EV mode, the electric motor produces 190 PS and 450 Nm, while the 25.9 kWh battery provides up to 47 miles (76 km) of usable electric-only range on the EU drive cycle. The combined V8 and electric motor delivers a total range of 515 miles (829 km). The car can run in full electric mode at speeds up to 87 mph / 140 km/h, with throttle inputs up to 75 per cent.
Bentley equips the Bentley Performance Active Chassis as standard, including Bentley Dynamic Ride, All-Wheel Steering, and an electronically controlled Limited-Slip Differential. A new generation of ESC software supports a range of driving styles and delivers dependable traction in all conditions. However, the team set the record with the system completely switched off. With a rear-biased weight distribution of 48.3:51.7, the chassis uses a mechanically optimised platform, active torque vectoring via a centre differential, and precise brake-based vectoring at each axle to maximise grip, which matters when you push for a fast lap on snow-covered sheet ice.
