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Bentley Flying Spur Speed Sets a New Meaning for “All-Weather Performance”

Winter testing usually means cold starts, numb fingers, and a polite nod toward traction control. Bentley, however, decided to rewrite the rulebook—again. At the world’s northernmost active race circuit, just 100 miles south of the Arctic Circle, the Flying Spur Speed has claimed a new winter lap record, proving that four doors and a luxury badge don’t preclude serious performance when the surface turns hostile.

The venue was Drivecenter Arena in Fällfors, northern Sweden, a former military airbase repurposed into a 2.05-mile circuit. In summer, it’s demanding. In winter—when the entire track is buried under roughly 12 inches of ice and snow—it’s borderline absurd. Yet Bentley’s flagship performance sedan circulated the circuit in under three minutes, posting a best lap of 2:58. No car has ever gone quicker here in winter conditions.

That headline time becomes even more impressive when you consider the details. Peak speed during the run touched 120 mph, despite the longest straight measuring just 450 meters and being covered in polished sheet ice. This wasn’t a gentle demonstration run; it was a full-commit lap, with the Flying Spur’s variable all-wheel-drive system and rear-wheel steering working overtime to deliver agility that simply shouldn’t exist on a frozen runway masquerading as a racetrack.

A Record Rooted in Bentley History

Bentley didn’t arrive at this challenge on a whim. The winter lap record was inspired by the brand’s own back catalog of improbable achievements: the Ice Speed Records of 2007 and 2011, and the lesser-known but no less astonishing 1986 endurance feat, when a Turbo R averaged 140 mph for an hour around the banked bowl at Millbrook Proving Ground.

In a thoughtful nod to that legacy, the record-setting Flying Spur—registration Y15 BML—was specified to mirror the Turbo R from Bentley’s Heritage Collection. Finished in Brooklands Green with yellow fine lines, and trimmed inside in Linen, Cumbrian Green, and Open Pore Walnut, the car also marked the Turbo R’s 40th anniversary. It’s a reminder that Bentley’s obsession with speed hasn’t replaced its reverence for tradition; it has simply evolved.

Ultra Performance, Electrified

Underneath the heritage paintwork lies Bentley’s most advanced Flying Spur yet. The Speed is powered by an Ultra Performance Hybrid system pairing a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with an electric motor integrated into an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. In Sport mode, the numbers read like something from a super-sedan fantasy league: 782 horsepower and 1,000 Nm of torque.

The electric motor contributes instant response, smoothing throttle inputs and amplifying traction—especially valuable on ice—while the V8 delivers its trademark cross-plane soundtrack. In pure EV mode, the Flying Spur still produces 190 horsepower and 450 Nm of torque, enough to blend seamlessly into everyday traffic. A 25.9-kWh battery provides up to 47 miles of electric-only range on the EU cycle, while total driving range stretches to 515 miles. Full electric running is possible at speeds up to 87 mph, with up to 75 percent throttle application—numbers that quietly redefine what “EV mode” means in a Bentley.

Chassis Tech That Earns Its Keep

The real hero of this Arctic achievement, however, lives beneath the bodywork. The Bentley Performance Active Chassis comes standard on the Flying Spur Speed and includes Dynamic Ride, all-wheel steering, an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, and a new generation of ESC software. That software allows a broad spectrum of driving styles—from ironclad stability to something far more playful. For the record run, ESC was switched off entirely.

With a rear-biased weight distribution of 48.3:51.7, the Flying Spur gives its chassis systems an inherently balanced foundation. Active torque vectoring shuffles power front to rear via the center differential, while brake-based vectoring fine-tunes distribution across each axle. On dry pavement, that means sharper turn-in and cleaner exits. On snow-covered sheet ice, it’s the difference between motion and inertia.

Luxury, Redefined by Capability

What makes this winter lap record remarkable isn’t just the stopwatch—it’s the context. This is a full-size luxury sedan, trimmed in walnut and leather, capable of whisper-quiet electric cruising one moment and near-racing commitment the next, all while operating on a surface better suited to studded tires and snowmobiles.

Bentley has long argued that true performance should be usable, not conditional. With the Flying Spur Speed, that philosophy has now been tested—and validated—within sight of the Arctic Circle. In doing so, Bentley hasn’t just set a record. It has delivered a reminder that modern luxury, when engineered properly, doesn’t retreat when conditions worsen. It thrives.

Source: Bentley

News

The EU’s Five-Year Reprieve for Combustion Cars Comes With a Catch

Just when Europe’s auto industry thought it could finally exhale, the European Commission delivered a decision that feels less like a reprieve and more like a strategic feint.

Yes, Brussels is preparing to push back the long-planned ban on the sale of new internal-combustion vehicles by five years, moving the deadline beyond the original 2035 target. For manufacturers staring down an expensive, uneven, and politically charged transition to full electrification—while simultaneously fending off an aggressive wave of Chinese competitors—that delay is no small relief.

But read past the headline, and the message sharpens considerably.

A Delay for Buyers, Not for Fleets

According to reporting from Germany’s Handelsblatt, the Commission’s plan would still allow private buyers to purchase new gasoline and diesel cars for several more years. The business side of the market, however, tells a very different story.

Company fleets, leasing firms, government vehicles, and car-rental operators would face an accelerated electric mandate—one that could effectively sideline internal-combustion engines from the commercial market well before the private ban ever kicks in.

Under the proposal:

  • By 2027, at least 50 percent of new fleet vehicles would have to be electric.
  • By 2030, that figure would jump to nearly 90 percent.

Translated from regulatory language: rental counters and company parking garages across Europe would go overwhelmingly electric within just five years.

Why Fleets Matter More Than You Think

This isn’t a niche policy move. Fleet and rental vehicles already account for around 60 percent of all new-car sales in the EU—a staggering majority that quietly drives the entire market. In 2024 alone, roughly 10.6 million vehicles were sold across the Union, with corporate and rental registrations outpacing private purchases, as individual buyers increasingly turn to the used-car market to manage costs.

The Commission’s logic is straightforward: fleet vehicles don’t disappear when their first owner is done with them. They flow directly into the used-car ecosystem. Electrify fleets first, and the private market becomes electric by default a few years later—whether consumers are fully ready or not.

In Brussels’ view, without this lever, a delayed ban on private sales would blunt the entire emissions strategy.

Relief, Resistance, and Real-World Friction

Unsurprisingly, the backlash has been swift.

Markus Ferber, a German Member of the European Parliament, has already urged Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to reject the fleet-sector ban outright, arguing that it unfairly distorts the market. Meanwhile, the CEO of rental-car giant Sixt has warned that tourists could be the unintended victims of the policy, citing inconsistent charging infrastructure across much of the EU.

That criticism cuts to the heart of the issue. Mandates are one thing; readiness is another. Forcing rapid electrification in sectors that depend on convenience, turnaround time, and cross-border travel exposes the uneven reality of Europe’s charging network—particularly outside major urban centers.

The Bigger Picture: Strategy Over Sentiment

What emerges from this plan is not indecision, but calculation.

By easing pressure on private buyers while clamping down on fleets, the Commission is attempting to accelerate electrification without triggering immediate voter backlash. It’s a policy designed to work quietly, reshaping the market through volume rather than outright prohibition.

For automakers, the message is clear: the combustion engine’s countdown hasn’t stopped—it’s simply shifted lanes. Plug-in hybrids, range-extended EVs, and vehicles running on biofuels or synthetic e-fuels may enjoy a longer runway, but the business-to-business market is about to go electric at full throttle.

The Commission was expected to formally confirm these plans earlier this month, though the announcement has reportedly been delayed amid political tension. Whether the final version survives intact—or is softened under industry pressure—remains to be seen.

One thing is certain: Europe isn’t abandoning its electric future. It’s just choosing a more surgical way to get there.

Source: Handelsblatt

News

Citroën C3 Finds the Sweet Spot—and Europe Can’t Get Enough

It took patience, persistence, and a willingness to zig where others zag, but Citroën has finally pulled off something that once felt improbable. The humble C3—long a staple of Europe’s cutthroat B-segment—has become a bona fide hit, so much so that the French brand is now struggling to keep up with demand across the continent.

That’s no small feat in a market where margins are thin, competition is ruthless, and electrification has often meant higher prices and lower volumes. Yet Citroën, quietly but confidently, has turned that logic on its head.

A Decade of Reinvention Pays Off

Over the past ten years, Citroën has undergone a steady transformation. The brand doubled down on affordability, comfort, and simplicity, while also accelerating its push into electrification. The goal was ambitious: make zero-emissions mobility mainstream, not just for premium buyers or urban early adopters, but for everyday drivers shopping in the B-segment.

Against expectations, it worked.

In just eight months, Citroën sold more than 100,000 C3s across Europe. The reasons are refreshingly straightforward. The car offers real-world comfort, usable technology, and respectable efficiency—without demanding a premium price. In an era where “cheap” often feels synonymous with “compromised,” the C3 has managed to feel like a smart choice rather than a sacrifice.

The End of Discounts—and the Return of Profit

What makes this success more remarkable is the context behind it. Citroën once relied heavily on aggressive discounts to drive volume, a strategy that worked until Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares famously imposed a zero-discount policy. Sales dipped almost immediately, and Citroën was among the first brands to feel the sting.

Now, the narrative has flipped. The question is no longer whether sales will return, but whether they can do so without eroding profitability. The C3 answers that question clearly. It sells well, it sells fast, and—crucially—it makes money.

Affordable EVs Change the Game

Momentum has only increased with the arrival of the electric ë-C3. With the gasoline version priced around €15,000 and the electric model coming in below €20,000, Citroën has undercut much of the competition while expanding its audience dramatically.

Demand quickly overwhelmed the Trnava plant in Slovakia, which is now running at full capacity. Delivery times have stretched to around six months—not because of chip shortages or supply-chain chaos, but simply because too many people want the car.

Recognizing the opportunity, Stellantis moved quickly. Production has been expanded to Kragujevac, Serbia, adding capacity for 40,000 additional units per year and pushing total annual C3 output to roughly 300,000 vehicles. It’s a clear signal that the group intends to capitalize fully on the model’s runaway success.

Looking Ahead

New Citroën CEO Xavier Chardon has been careful to temper expectations. The brand, he notes, is still below its pre-pandemic peak, squeezed by increasingly aggressive rivals in the same price brackets. Even so, the trajectory is unmistakably positive.

Citroën is on track to close 2025 with a significant sales increase—up as much as 32 percent as of October—driven largely by two models: the C3 and the C3 Aircross. The hatchback is a hit, but its SUV sibling is an outright phenomenon, posting a staggering 519 percent sales increase.

In a market obsessed with crossovers, range anxiety, and rising prices, the Citroën C3’s success feels almost old-fashioned. Build a comfortable, honest car. Price it sensibly. Make an electric version people can actually afford. Europe has responded in kind—and now it’s willing to wait.

Source: Automotive News