Bentley Flying Spur

	Bentley Flying Spur
	Debut: 2019 Maker: Bentley Predecessor: Flying Spur (2013)

Published on 27 Mar 2020

Now based on Porsche platform, the Flying Spur is set to take off, finally.

Ultra-luxury limousine is a very exclusive segment. Basically, only 3 marques compete in the segment whose global volume amounts to only 8,000 units a year: Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Mercedes-Maybach. To ordinary people like us, we can never understand the attraction of these huge, cumbersome-looking, excessively decorated and conservatively designed machines to the richest people in the world. We admire somebody driving a Mercedes S-class or BMW 7-Series, even more in case of a Jaguar XJ or the last Pininfarina-designed Maserati Quattroporte, but seeing an old fat guy sitting at the back of a Rolls-Royce? We just think how stupid he is! When you need to show off your wealth by owning more of everything – more metal, more wood, more leather, more c.c., more cylinders and more zeros in its price tag – you are actually a poor guy. Quoting a famous line from a Hong Kongese comedian, “you are so poor that all you left is money!”.

Yes, just more of everything is not sufficient. What makes a luxury limousine great is taste and character. Rolls-Royces are just mobile houses that move its occupants with the least distraction. Maybachs are not exclusive enough to warrant an exclusive price tag. Only Bentley has the tasteful look and character to win the hearts of car lovers. The late Ferdinand Piech was right. When he bought Rolls-Royce from Vickers, he sold the Rolls-Royce name to BMW quickly, because in his eyes the jewel in the crown has always been Bentley and the craftsmanship of Crewe. Unlike Rolls-Royce, Bentley is designed to delight drivers. It has to be fast. It has to handle its mass better than it has any rights to be. It has to look desirable inside and outside. And it has to feel very British, of course.

Styling has more taste and character than either RR or Maybach.

Admittedly, not all Bentleys since the 1998 acquisition were good Bentleys. The first 2 generations of Flying Spur (or Continental Flying Spur as originally known) were more like a repackaged Volkswagen Phaeton. Dynamically boring and aesthetically dull, they were not even luxurious enough to beat Mercedes S-class. The best Bentley has always been the largest: the Mulsanne and its predecessor Arnage. They showed the most tasteful styling, the best craftsmanship and a traditional 6.75-liter OHV turbocharged V8 – though largely modernized in 2002. However, the flagship model finally comes to the end of road now, partly due to the cost it would take to modify the old engine to comply with emission regs, partly due to the limited sales volume that fails to justify an update, partly down to the market shift towards SUVs, a trend Bentley already capitalized with Bentayga. As the Mulsanne has gone, the new generation Flying Spur takes the responsibility to represent the best limousine offered by Crewe. It has unlimited room to grow more luxurious.

Firstly, it gets a far more graceful look. A prominent grille, muscular fenders, large and small jewel-effect headlights, high-curvature surfaces surrounding the headlights that need superformed technology to shape the aluminum sheets… this car look significantly more characterful than its jellyfish-like predecessor. Sportier and more classical, too. The front end has real presence, although the tail is less special.

207mph makes it the world’s fastest 4-door saloon.

Although the new car is barely longer and wider than its predecessor, you will notice a very different proportion. Its front overhang is shortened and the front axle is pushed forward, lengthening the wheelbase by 130mm. This is because the new car is built on the Porsche-developed MSB platform, which underpins also Panamera and Continental GT, rather than the old Volkswagen platform. The MSB ditches the old car's Quattro-based 4WD system for the rear-biased 4WD system of Panamera. It is normally rear-driven, but in case of need an electrohydraulic multi-plate clutch can send up to 53 percent torque (or 31 percent in Sport mode) to the front axle. This new layout allows the engine to be positioned in the center of the engine compartment instead of at the front overhang, improving weight distribution hence handling a lot. The front-to-rear balance is now 54:46 instead of the previous 56:44, while polar moment of inertia is also reduced. Like Continental GT, the chassis here is made of a mixture of high-strength steel, aluminum castings and extrusions. Outside, the body work is all-aluminum.

The launch engine is the 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 of Continental GT. It features cylinder deactivation, automatic stop-start and dual-mode injection, although emisson is still far from acceptable (337g/km). Maximum output is 635hp and 664lbft, with the latter available from as low as 1350 rpm. Unusually for a luxury car, it employs not a torque converter automatic transmission but the 8-speed twin-clutch gearbox of Porsche Panamera. Bentley spent a lot of development to make sure it shifts as smoothly as a true automatic, while delivering superior response when you demand. Despite a kerb weight in excess of 2.4 tons, the Flying Spur flies, taking only 3.7 seconds to go from 0-60 and topping 207mph – the latter makes it the world’s fastest 4-door saloon! Later on, a 550hp twin-turbo V8 will join the range.

Apart from active 4WD, the new Flying Spur gets 4-wheel steering, too, which is the first Bentley to do so. It helps shortening the turning circle in town and makes the large car more agile in the twisty, while enhancing high-speed stability further. In the suspension, its air springs have been upgraded to 3 chambers for a broader range of adjustment. The suspension is not only height-adjustable but also comes with adaptive dampers and electric active anti-roll bars, whose 48V electrical system will benefit the upcoming V6 plug-in hybrid option. The Flying Spur employs huge wheels measuring either 21 or 22-inch. The mega-size 420mm steel front brakes with 10-piston calipers come straight from the Continental GT.

Far more tasteful than a £360,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom...

The flagship Flying Spur starts at just under £170,000, but its interior looks far more tasteful than a £360,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom. Sharing genes with its Continental GT sister, its dashboard is sleek, modern and sporty among its peers, yet the craftsmanship is impeccable. Instead of the solid walnut on Mulsanne, it uses lacquered veneers based on aluminum panels to form the dashboard surfaces. There are many types of veneer textures to choose from, including 2-ton treatment, all look great and expensive. Quality stitched leather wrap the remaining surfaces. The center console is heavy on chrome. Take a closer look, you will be amazed to see most of the chrome elements, no matter the clock, rotary controls or liners, have diamond-shape patterns rolled on. This is mirrored at the diamond quilting on the door trims. The details are really amazing.

As in its coupe sister, the upper center console is a Toblerone-shaped rolling device which may switch among a clean veneer panel, 3 analogue gauges or a 12.3-inch touchscreen. The infotainment comes from Volkswagen group’s parts bin, of course, but you won’t know that, because the interface is unique and the operation is slick.

The Flying Spur takes good care of its rear passengers, too. There is a champagne refrigerator, a remote control for the climate and entertainment system, individual touchscreens, massaging seats, ambient lighting and high-end audio system. However, the rear cushions seem a little short for tall passengers, and the view outside is limited by the smaller windows. Moreover, it does not offer airliner chairs like Rolls-Royce or Maybach, so it might struggle to please that big fat guy sitting at the back of Rolls-Royce. As luxurious as it is, the Bentley is still designed primarily for driven.

Driving enthusiastically, it becomes an M5 of the limousine world.

And we must say it drives amazingly well. With the heavier W12, this flagship model might not be the best driving Flying Spur, as we found on Continental GT, but even in this state it is easily the best driving luxury limousine ever. And we are not just talking about against Rolls-Royce or Maybach, but also against a Mercedes-AMG S63 4matic! Bentley makes a good point to base the car on the Porsche platform. It is well balanced. It feels rear-driven. It even feels quite agile on winding roads, thanks to the rear-wheel steering. In Sport mode its active anti-roll bars keep its body movement to the minimum without hurting ride quality. Its massive brakes offer reassuring stopping power. No cars such big can feel so sporty, so entertaining to drive. If BMW builds a true M7 – definitely not the current M760Li, it has to learn from Bentley.

In Comfort mode, the air suspension allows it to ride over undulations smoothly, gliding along highway in silence. In Sport mode, it gets harsher on less perfect surfaces, fine for a performance saloon but not what you would expect on a limo. The best compromise is the “Bentley” mode, in which the ride is smooth enough yet body movement is well contained. Avoid the optional 22-inch wheels and you’ll be happy to cruise in the car all day.

The familiar W12 delivers effortless performance at any revs. Its sound is not particularly attractive, but it is smooth and massively powerful. The 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox does the job as smoothly as a torque converter automatic in most situations, though in certain circumstances, such as sudden on/off throttle, reveals some rough edges. In Sport mode, it serves up quick and smooth gearchanges.

What makes the Flying Spur different is its dual-personality. Driving leisurely, it is almost as smooth and comfortable as a Rolls-Royce. Driving enthusiastically, it becomes an M5 of the limousine world. This is what an Audi S8 is supposed to show, but surprisingly, it is realized by its British relative.

Verdict:

Published on 4 Feb 2021

Flying Spur V8

When you cannot by a Bentley with engine anymore, you will miss it.

As in the case of the Continental GT or the last generation Flying Spur, the V8 option is actually better than W12, even if you ignore the 10-percent lower price. You’ll sacrifice a little bit performance – 0-60 mph acceleration takes 0.3 second longer, top speed drops by 9 mph, but you still get as much as 198 mph in reserve and an acceleration almost matching a base 911 Carrera. You’ll lose a bit low-end response, as the 4-liter V8 makes its 568 lbft of peak torque at 2000 rpm, while the 6-liter W12 supplies 664 lbft from merely 1350 rpm. Its two turbochargers take a little more time to spool up, despite hot-Vee architecture and twin-scroll design. However, once committed to throttle, the V8 never disappoints, providing endless push while revving smoothly and effortlessly. The exhaust note of the V8 is easily more characterful than that of the whisper-quiet W12, especially at high revs. It is not as expressive as the application on Continental GT though, thanks to more sound insulation used throughout the Flying Spur’s cabin. The 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox serves this motor just as well as the W12, so well that you are rarely aware that it is not a conventional torque-converter automatic.

Handling is certainly an improvement. The V8 carries 107kg less weight than the W12, and most of it comes from the front axle. It is therefore slightly better balanced, more agile and keener to turn. If it were built on the old Volkswagen D1 platform, that might not be a game-changing improvement. Since this generation is built on the Porsche-developed MSB platform with more sensible weight distribution and rear-biased running gears, we are talking of a dynamism good enough to warrant the new Flying Spur a place in luxury car history. Its body control is remarkable, thanks in part to active anti-roll bars but also expert-judged suspension tuning. Its agility is beyond the reach of any other luxury limousines, thanks to rear-wheel steering but also the inherent balance. Meanwhile, ride comfort and noise management are still worthy of the Bentley name, if not quite the level of Rolls-Royce or Mercedes-Maybach. It is just a matter of priorities.

Unlike its rivals, Bentley is always supposed to be as much a driver’s car as a passenger’s car. If you still love driving, it is definitely the one to have. Unfortunately, the driver appeal of Bentley is going to diminish over the next decade. From 2026, Crewe will build only cars powered by electrified powertrains (plug-in hybrid or battery). By 2030, all kinds of internal combustion engines will be withdrawn from its production, turning Bentley into a zero-emission marque. In other words, this Flying Spur will be the last generation powered by engines, producing proper induction noise and exhaust note, delivering a mechanical feel that electric systems can never replicate. The V8 is likely to last until the final day, and I am sure people will miss it a lot.

Verdict:

Published on 16 Jan 2025

Flying Spur Speed (hybrid)

The best limousine in the world gets even better.

Bentley Flying Spur gets a new range-topping model, Speed. Like its coupe sibling Continental GT Speed, the limousine is powered by the firm’s new plug-in hybrid powertrain consisting of a 600 hp 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, a 190 hp electric motor housed in dual-clutch transmission and a boot-mounted 25.9kWh battery pack. Combined output is a staggering 782 hp, accompanied with 737 lbft of torque. This boosts its performance significantly. 0-60 mph takes only 3.4 seconds, 3/10ths less than the outgoing W12 model, although top speed is now capped at 177 mph instead of its predecessor’s unrestricted 207 mph. The battery gives an electric range of 76 km or 47 miles and lower CO2 emission rating to 33 g/km (assuming you recharge the battery full before each journey). The car gains about 200kg, pushing its kerb weight to a new height of 2646 kg.

On the road, the hybrid powertrain suits the Flying Spur very well. It starts with electric power alone, so delivers a silent running until you press the throttle beyond 75 percent of its travel or when the car hits 87 mph. However, without exhaust note you’ll hear more of the wind noise, which is not quite as well insulated as Rolls-Royce. When the battery dries out, the V8 joins forces smoothly. The two power sources are well blended to deliver a strong and seamless acceleration. The electric power is configured to fill in the torque gap during each gearshift, so the DCT feels just as refined as a torque converter automatic. Yes, the Speed is very very quick, more than any one needs for a luxury limousine. Only sports saloons like AMG S63 or Panamera Turbo S – both are also plug-in hybrid – can topple it.

By using a lighter V8 engine and placing the battery at the back improves weight distribution a lot, so the car doesn’t seem any heavier. On the contrary, it feels a bit better balanced and more agile in corner than the old W12. In Sport mode it can even display some throttle adjustability, although no one would try that on a public road.

Like Continental GT Speed as well, the Flying Spur has its suspension updated with 2-chamber air springs (instead of 3) and dual-valve adaptive dampers which can adjust compression and rebound rates independently. This results in a noticeably smoother ride in Comfort mode while maintaining body control in Sport.

The Flying Spur used to be the best luxury limousine in the world for those driving the car themselves. The powertrain and suspension update in the Speed solidifies its status further. Bentley has not altered the rest of the car this time, which is fine, because the car remains beautifully sculpted and crafted inside and out. The only drawback is the battery eats a large part of the boot, reducing its volume to merely 346 liters. At nearly £230,000 it is significantly more expensive than an AMG S-class, but it feels classier, more bespoke and therefore worth the extra.

Verdict: