First introduced in 2005 then redesigned in 2013, the Flying Spur bridges the gap between the Continental GT grand tourer and Mulsanne sedan. The third generation is right around the corner, and as you can hear in the following clip, it features a twin-turbo setup.
Like the previous generation, Bentley will offer a 6.0-liter W12 and a 4.0-liter V8. But for the first time ever for the Flying Spur, a plug-in hybrid is also in the works. The powertrain is more or less the same one from the Bentayga Hybrid, which means the most eco-friendly Flying Spur will feature six cylinders and up to 50 kilometers of all-electric range.
The W12 is good for 635 PS (626 horsepower) and 900 Nm (664 pound-feet) of torque from 1,350 to 4,500 rpm, figures that are most appropriate for a vehicle that tips the scales in the ballpark of 2.5 tons. As for the Mulsanne in its lightest specification, make that 2,650 kilograms (5,850 pounds).
A high-performance model with the suffix Speed is also in the pipeline, and if you were wondering, the Flying Spur shares the Modular Standard Platform with the Porsche Panamera. A Torsen-type differential is standard, which is another way of saying that the torque will be split 40 percent up front and 60 percent at the rear axle.
The refined and composed driving experience is furthered by one of the poshest cabins in the segment, wrapped in the finest leather that Bentley can source at this price point. Speaking of the financial aspect, the current generation kicks off at $189,000 for the V8 and $224,500 for the W12.
When it comes to choosing between the Flying Spur and Mulsanne, the choice is rather simple. The first option is designed to be driven, and the second is for being chauffeured. In other words, the Flying Spur is closer to the Bentley Boys from the 1920s while the Mulsanne is motorized aristocracy.
There’s no other way of saying this, but the only way up from the standard set by Bentley is to pony up $450,000 for the Rolls-Royce Phantom. But guess what? The Phantom VIII doesn’t cut it in terms of suck-squeeze-bang-blow because the 6.75-liter N74 can’t deliver more than 571 PS (563 horsepower) for the time being. Yes, that N74 introduced in 2008 on the fifth generation of the BMW 7 Series!
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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