The third generation of Bentley Flying Spur , like the latest Continental GT, represents a considerable leap forward on all levels.
The Rolls-Royce Ghost rival wants to lead the niche in super-luxury saloons, offering the best of both worlds: all the refinement, comfort and even sophistication you've come to expect from a luxury saloon, and a sharper driving experience, faster associated with more compact and light saloons.
The apparent contradiction in the proposed objectives is due to the need to satisfy two different types of customers: those who want to lead and those who want to be led. The latter represent a growing share of sales, blamed on the Chinese market, which is already one of the biggest for Bentley.
MSB
In order to fulfill this very different specification, the new Bentley Flying Spur, like the Continental GT, uses MSB, the original Porsche base found in the Panamera, despite a richer mix of materials used: high-strength steels and aluminum, joins carbon fiber (although not specified where it was used).
The MSB feature means the new saloon is built on an architecture designed to be rear-wheel drive rather than front-wheel drive like its predecessor.
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The advantages are immediately evident — the front axle is in a more forward position and the engine in a more rearward position, favoring the distribution of masses and giving the new Flying Spur a set of much more assertive and convincing proportions.
Something that we can verify in its dimensions, when compared to its predecessor. Although the external dimensions are practically identical between the two generations — only the length grows 20 mm, reaching 5.31 m —, the wheelbase takes a significant leap of 130 mm, going from 3.065 m to 3.194 m, reflecting the front axle repositioning.
dynamic arsenal
The use of MSB helps to establish more adequate foundations for the desired dynamism, but even so, it is more than 2400 kg in a saloon with external dimensions that rival those of a T0.
To deal with such mass and corpulence, the Bentley Flying Spur comes equipped with an expressive technological arsenal. The use of a 48 V electrical system allowed the integration of active stabilizer bars, a solution introduced in Bentayga, which allows control of their firmness level.
Absolute debut on a Bentley is the four-wheel drive which should contribute in equal measure to more agility in the tightest sections and more stability at high speed.
Four-wheel drive also no longer has a fixed distribution like its predecessor, becoming variable. For example, in Comfort and Bentley mode, the system sends 480Nm of available torque to the front axle (more than half), but in Sport mode it only receives 280Nm, with the rear axle being favored for a more dynamic driving experience. .
Stopping more than 2400 kg is the responsibility of the same Continental GT steel brake discs, the largest on the market, with 420 mm in diameter , which also helps to justify the size of the wheels, 21″ standard and 22″ optional.
W12
Big car, big heart. The W12, unique in the industry, carries over from the previous generation, although it has evolved. There are 6.0 l of capacity, two turbochargers, 635 hp of power, and a “fat” 900 Nm — the right numbers to make the Flying Spur's 2.4 t plus a child's play.
The powerful W12 is coupled to an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox, which, together with four-wheel drive, allows the Flying Spur to be launched up to 100 km/h in an absurd 3.8s.
More surprising is the top speed, reaching a less than luxurious but very sporty 333 km/h — superior to some supersports — and it will certainly do so with high levels of comfort. The new king of the autobahn? Most likely.
More powertrains are planned, including a more affordable V8 and also a plug-in hybrid, which marries a V6 engine and an electric motor, a configuration we'll see first on the Bentayga, coming this summer.
Flying B
For the first time in a contemporary Flying Spur, the "Flying B" mascot that adorns the bonnet is once again present. This is retractable and illuminated and is linked to the "welcome" sequence of the lighting as the driver approaches the car.
interior
Of course, the interior is one of the great highlights of the new Bentley Flying Spur, perhaps the ultimate argument for those who like to be driven. A luxurious atmosphere is breathed, we are surrounded by the best (genuine) leathers, real wood and what looks like metal is the real thing.
The interior design does not differ much from that found on the Continental GT, with the biggest difference being the center console, namely the central ventilation outlets, which lose their circular shape.
Above these we find the Bentley Rotating Display , a three-sided rotating panel. This one integrates the 12.3″ screen of the infotainment system, but if we think that the contrast of the digital with the craftsmanship of the rest of the interior is too great. we can simply “hide it”. The second face of the rotating bezel reveals three analogue dials — outside temperature, compass and stopwatch. And if even so, we think it's “too much information”, the third face is nothing more than a simple wooden panel that continues the same material and visual theme as the rest of the dashboard.
Attention to detail remains one of the hallmarks of Bentley interiors, with the brand highlighting the new diamond pattern for the buttons or the introduction of a new 3D diamond pattern for the leather on the doors.
Drive or be driven? Either option seems to be right.
When arrives
The new Bentley Flying Spur will be available to order from next fall, with the first deliveries to customers taking place early next year.