NEW BENTLEY FLYING SPUR

Bentley has launched its first four-door supercar - the new Flying Spur, now in its fourth generation after almost two decades of defining the ultimate luxury performance vehicle.

Launched initially with the performance-focused Speed model, the new Flying Spur is built around Bentley’s new Ultra Performance Hybrid, endowing it with an extraordinary breadth of capabilities.

At one extreme, it is capable of serene, silent progress in pure EV mode for up to 47 miles and when more spirited driving is desired, the combined 779 bhp of Bentley V8 and e-motor delivers sensational performance, passing the 0-60 mph benchmark in a remarkable 3.3 seconds.

The Flying Spur’s Ultra Performance Hybrid all-wheel drive powertrain combines an advanced 592 bhp, 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with a 187 bhp electric motor that is neatly integrated within the 8-speed dual clutch transmission. In Sport Mode, this powertrain deploys around 1,000 Nm, with the instant torque of the E-motor complementing the charismatic cross-plane beat of the V8.

Compared with the previous Speed model, the new Flying Spur Speed delivers higher torque from low engine speeds, higher peak torque and higher power output throughout the rev range.

In pure EV mode, the torque of the E-motor provides more than enough to keep up with the traffic in most situations, while the 25.9 kWh battery offers up to 47 miles of usable electric-only range (on the EU drive cycle). Together, the V8 and E-motor provide the new Flying Spur with a total range of up to 515 miles. 

Few vehicles on the planet can boast such a spread of ability; none do so with the refinement, poise or luxury as the new Flying Spur, justifying Bentley’s claim that this is its first four-door supercar.

While the exterior design retains the familiar, muscular yet elegant design of the third generation Flying Spur (launched in 2019), it is beneath the skin of the car where the real changes take place - with the all-new powertrain matched with an also-new electrical architecture that brings the most modern suite of automotive technology fitted to any true luxury vehicle.

Interior updates improve on the already exquisite Flying Spur cabin with new stitch options, 3D diamond hide extended to doors and pillars, and further wellness features including the intelligent air ionisation and option of automatic postural adjustment on all four seats. Meanwhile the introduction of the My Bentley App Studio brings an array of useful applications straight to the driver’s fingertips.

Inside the spacious cabin, customers continue to have tens of billions of configuration possibilities to select from, provided by Bentley’s bespoke and coachbuilding division, Mulliner. The ability for a customer to specify a unique Flying Spur, matched to their tastes and personality, highlights the car’s ability to deliver the power of the possible.

A paint range of 101 colours can be expanded to any colour from Bentley’s past, and bespoke paint-matching is also available. For the interior, 22 primary hide colours, 11 secondary shades and four colour splits mean that in the leather alone there are more than 700 colour combinations, before adding contrast stitching, piping or bespoke features. The leathers are joined by eight wood veneer options and a further three technical finishes – which can be used as single or dual finishes and can also be paint matched to any interior hide or exterior paint colours.

The fourth generation Flying Spur Speed benefits from the latest iteration of electrical architecture, enabling a significant step forward in infotainment and driver assistance technology. The result is a seamless experience in terms of wellness, driver assistance, infotainment systems and connected car services.

For the first time with Flying Spur, the optional Wellness Seating Specification is now available on all four seats. This includes Seat Auto Climate and Postural Adjust, which measures and maintains the perfect body temperature via zoned heating and ventilation, and soothingly and seamlessly varies the pressure on the occupants’ muscles throughout their journey to ensure fatigue is minimised.

The environment display (shown in the driver’s instrument panel) supports and enables driving in semi-assisted mode, showing the driver how the car is responding to other vehicles. The vehicle’s understanding of the surrounding environment allows for Intelligent Park Assist – the latest generation self-parking system with speed control.

Each year further new features will be available, such as green traffic light prediction – which is increasingly activated in major cities in the US and Europe and allows a “magic carpet” drive through the city centre.