Bentley Flying Spur achieves winter lap record at Drivecenter Arena

Bentley reports that the Flying Spur Speed set a new winter lap record at Sweden’s Drivecenter Arena, becoming the fastest car ever in winter conditions at the circuit.

Bentley has set a new winter lap record with the Flying Spur Speed at Drivecenter Arena in northern Sweden, the most northerly active race circuit operating this season. The circuit lies just 100 miles from the Arctic Circle and is fully covered in ice and snow during winter running.

The Flying Spur Speed completed the 2.05-mile (3.3 km) lap in 2 minutes 58 seconds, the fastest time ever recorded at the venue in winter conditions. Despite up to 12 inches of ice and snow across the entire track surface and a longest straight of only around 450 metres, the car reached a peak speed of 120 mph during the record run.

The record was achieved using a completely standard production-spec Flying Spur Speed. The only adaptation for the conditions was the fitment of studded 21-inch winter tyres. Electronic stability control was fully switched off for the attempt.

Key to the performance were the car’s variable all-wheel drive system and rear-wheel steering, which provided stability and agility on the low-grip surface. These systems are part of Bentley’s Performance Active Chassis architecture, designed to deliver controlled performance across a wide range of driving conditions.

The specific vehicle used for the record, registration Y15 BML, carried a specification inspired by Bentley’s heritage. Its Brooklands Green exterior, yellow fine lines and interior trim echo the Bentley Turbo R from the company’s Heritage Collection. This links the winter lap record to earlier milestones, including Bentley’s Ice Speed Records in 2007 and 2011, as well as the Turbo R’s one-hour endurance record at Millbrook Proving Ground in 1986.

The Drivecenter Arena run reinforces Bentley’s approach to performance, demonstrating that a large luxury sedan in standard road-going form can operate at high speed in extreme winter conditions. In an environment defined by ice and limited traction, the Flying Spur Speed’s record highlights how modern chassis technology continues to extend the real-world capabilities of production vehicles.