Bentley Flying Spur Speed: 'Our first four-door supercar'
Ultra-luxury 771bhp plug-in hybrid does 0-60mph in 3.3sec
Bentley has revamped its Flying Spur four-door limousine for 2025 and introduced a range-topping, high-performance Flying Spur Speed capable of an eye-popping acceleration time that makes it the brand’s “first four-door supercar”.
Like the Continental GT Speed launched this summer, Bentley has given the four-door saloon a 4-litre V8 plug-in hybrid system that produces up to 771bhp for improved performance. Of course, the electric system means that, should you prefer to waft than blat, then impressive fuel economy is possible, too.
Although it will likely be joined by other Flying Spur variants, the new flagship is the first to be revealed. It pairs a 187bhp electric motor and high voltage battery pack with a 592bhp twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine.
Up to 47 miles in utter silence
According to Bentley, the car will be able to cover up to 47 miles on electric power alone (it’ll likely be less in the real world, particularly in cold weather and at high speeds), thanks to its battery capacity of 25.9kWh. It can also be run on electric at speeds of up to 87mph, and allowing the driver to use up to 75 per cent of the accelerator travel before waking up the massive petrol powerplant.
For those only driving short distances, the car’s battery can be recharged in as little as two hours and forty-five minutes using its 11kW maximum AC charging speed, and can be operated effectively as an electric vehicle on local journeys.
That means the new Flying Spur Speed can in theory produce around 90 per cent less carbon dioxide than its predecessor, which came with a 6-litre, twin-turbocharged W12 engin.
But the new model will still be faster. When the twin-turbo V8 comes into play, the new car will have up to 771bhp, and with that being fed to all four wheels the new Flying Spur Speed can get from 0-60mph in 3.3 seconds, Bentley says — an improvement of half a second over the old W12 Flying Spur Speed and just a tenth slower than a four-wheel-drive Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-2 supercar.
Limo one minute, sports saloon the next
Bentley claims the new Flying Spur Speed will be every bit as dynamically capable as its predecessor, while offering greater comfort. New dampers have been fitted to allow the car to become more supple in its Comfort mode while still offering the same body control in Sport mode.
As before, there’s four-wheel steering, and Bentley has fitted an electronically controlled limited slip differential, too, which manages the power to each wheel depending on drive mode and grip levels.
The chassis systems and the new electronic stability control have been optimised for the hybrid system, Bentley says, including a clever braking system to apply micro-adjustments in the power delivery during corners, giving the car better road holding.
Only minor aesthetic tweaks
But while the car’s oily bits have been updated considerably, it still looks much the same as before. Yes, there’s a new grille and new bumpers at the front and rear, but otherwise the tweaks are minor.
New 22in alloy wheel designs are among the highlights, while there’s darkened chrome brightwork all around the car for a sportier look.
Customers can also specify the Styling Specification aero package, finished in either body colour or carbon fibre, depending on preference.
Inside, meanwhile, the tweaks are even more subtle. As before, wood and leather dominate, although customers can again choose darkened chrome for a sportier look, while there’s a massive central touchscreen, a digital instrument cluster and diamond-quilted seats.
Those who look really closely might spot a revised perforation pattern in the seats and new displays in the instrument cluster, as well as Precision 3D diamond hide on the door inners and B-pillars. Open the doors, and you may also notice a new puddle light feature with animated Bentley wings, too.
Almost-infinite personalisation
Configuration options remain numerous, with several common options (including the rotating touchscreen display that offers occupants the chance to switch between a full touchscreen, a wood veneer panel and analogue dials at the touch of a button) remaining, alongside countless personalisation features.
The standard 101-colour paint palette can be expanded to any colour from Bentley’s history, as well as matching any colour customers desire. Inside, there are 22 primary hide colours to choose from, 11 secondary colours and four colour splits, offering 700 colour combinations before contrast stitching or piping is applied. Eight wood veneers are available, along with a further three ‘technical’ finishes.
Enhanced technology
And Bentley has given the Flying Spur a new “electrical architecture,” allowing the company to update the driver assistance systems, as well as offering over-the-air updates and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration technology.
There’s new climate control tech, too, with the optional Wellness Seating Specification now available for all four seats, automatically heating and ventilating them to maintain the occupant’s body temperature, and automatically adjusting them to relieve pressure on the occupant’s muscles and reduce fatigue. The climate control system will even adjust itself automatically on entering a tunnel to ensure air quality remains as high as possible.
As usual, Bentley has not announced how much the new Flying Spur Speed will cost, but as a guide the outgoing W12 model cost from £208,700. The V8 PHEV version is expected to be available later this year closely followed by a host of less powerful Flying Spur models.
Related articles
- If you found this article about the new Bentley Flying Spur interesting, you may want to read our farewell feature to the Bentley W12 engine
- You might find it entertaining to read about Clarkson bringing a Bentley on holiday
- Or check out a hybrid-SUV alternative to the Continental GT in the shape of the Bentley Bentayga Hybrid
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