2005 Bentley Continental Flying Spur Photos, engines & full specs

Bentley introduced the Flying Spur luxury sedan in 2005, which was the fastest four-door vehicle in the world, and it did that while still offering a comfortable ride.

After Volkswagen bought Bentley, it started to work on the British automaker's lineup. At first, the Continental GT received important German technological input. Then, based on the same platform shared with the Volkswagen Phaeton, Bentley created the Flying Spur. A limousine that behaved like a supercar.

The exterior design could have been more spectacular. Its four round headlights had nothing in common with the Bentley design heritage. Still, it resembled the Continental GT grand touring car. In the middle, the tall and chromed grille was handcrafted and represented a work of art by itself. From its profile, the large sedan tried to hide its connection with the Phaeton. And, somehow, the designers managed to do that. Still, the C-pillars were very wide, like on its German sibling. Yet, at the back, the vertical taillights flanked the wide-opening trunk looked utterly different. But they were less elegant than other Bentley vehicles previously built.

Inside, besides the abundance of leather and wood trims, the automaker installed many buttons and switches on the dashboard and center stack. The two front bucket seats were separated by the tall center console and a storage compartment, while in the back, the bench profiled for two offered plenty o legroom and headroom.

Under the hood, Bentley installed the W12 6.0-liter engine that was found in the Phaeton. It was paired with a six-speed automatic gearbox that sent its power in all corners.