Bently has just set a lap record of a different kind with its Flying Spur Speed, a large luxury sedan that one expects to be taking up space at the local country club, not displaying track heroics. The record was set at the Drivecenter Arena in northern Sweden, the most northerly active racetrack in the world. What makes the Bentley’s record particularly impressive is that it was achieved on an ice-covered track in harsh winter conditions, showing that the big Flying Spur not just has ample power—but can also put that power down effectively.
Just 100 Miles From The Arctic Circle
Bentley
Bentley
Bentley
Bentley
The track sits just 100 miles from the Arctic Circle at what was once a military airbase. Covered in 12 inches of ice and snow, the 2.05-mile track would have been a challenge for even a well-sorted all-wheel-drive sports car, let alone a bulky sedan. But the Flying Spur managed to complete a lap in just two minutes and 58 seconds, the quickest time ever recorded in winter conditions.
Bentley
Bentley
Bentley
The Flying Spur used for the record run was unmodified, other than studded 21-inch winter tires to deal with the conditions. The car managed a peak speed of 120 mph, despite the longest straight section being under 1,500 feet. In its current form, the luxury sedan has a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 and an electric motor that’s integrated into the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The setup produces a combined 771 horsepower and 737 lb-ft of torque.
But the Bentley was able to overcome the obvious traction issues experienced on sheet ice with its variable AWD system and rear-wheel steering. The electronic limited-slip differential and new ESC software also assisted in keeping the car stable. Even so, there was plenty of sliding around on the track, as you can see in a video Bentley released of the record feat.
Not Bentley’s First Ice Speed Record
Bentley
Bentley previously captured ice speed records in 2007 and 2011, accomplishments that inspired this latest effort. The 2007 record involved the Continental GT, which reached a top speed of 199.86 mph on a stretch of the frozen Baltic Sea. Finnish world rally champion Juha Kankkunen set that speed record, and he broke his own record again in 2011, this time exceeding 205 mph along the same stretch.
Go back even further to 1986, and a classic Bentley Turbo R averaged 140 mph at the Millbrook Proving Ground in the UK in similarly icy conditions.
But Bentley’s track prowess exists beyond sedans, GTs, and icy tracks. Just this year, the Bentayga Speed SUV set a new Goodwood Hillclimb record for ICE SUVs, an environment that couldn’t be further removed from the Drivecenter Arena.
Not only are these Bentleys some of the finest luxury cars on the planet, but they’re true driver’s cars, and that’s what continues to separate the British brand from its great Rolls-Royce rival.
About the author
Karl Furlong
Senior Editor, Autoblog