2010 Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2021 Bentley Flying Spur V8 First Drive Review | Making a scene at the ends of the Earth

Even in the face of fading four-door relevance, a new luxury sedan still turns heads, and that goes double when it’s sporting the Flying B. The 2021 Bentley Flying Spur V8 marks the return of the “entry-level” variant of BentleyÂ’s storied touring sedan, and perhaps for the last time, as parent company Volkswagen appears poised to electrify its flagship luxury brand. As luxury nameplates go, Flying Spur really isnÂ’t all that long-running. It was used on a handful of cars in the late 1950s and early 1960s and then mothballed for four decades, returning in 2005 as part of the same Volkswagen prestige project that brought us the Phaeton. The two were even assembled side-by-side for a brief period at one of VWÂ’s German facilities while BentleyÂ’s factory in Crewe scaled up; that probably went over far better in 2005 than it would have in 1959.  My oldest remaining memory of the (then still a Continental) Flying SpurÂ’s modern incarnation stems from a write-up by a journalist who had embedded with some of VW GroupÂ’s engineers in South Africa. They were subjecting it to hot-weather validation, running the prototype (disguised as a Mercedes-Benz) deep into triple-digit territory on remote, dusty highways in a once-unforgiving and distant corner of the globe. The whole thing seemed very romantic to a 20-year-old college student and budding European car nut. The notion of a 190-mph super-sedan being tested in a locale that was once the southern terminus of the known world seemed almost mythical, and it left me with the lingering image of the Flying Spur as the sort of conveyance one might employ in a quest to reach the very ends of the Earth. Naturally, it wasnÂ’t long after Bentley asked if I wanted to sample the new Flying Spur V8 that this association bubbled up. LetÂ’s face it, though; taking a road trip in a grand British luxury sedan needs no justification. This isnÂ’t a car that requires an occasion; it supplies one all on its own. The 4.0-liter V8Â’s 542 horsepower may not hold a candle to the W12Â’s 626, but it also has to contend with 200 fewer pounds. Combined with cylinder deactivation, the V8 manages a 16% improvement in fuel economy, eking out 15 mpg in the city, 20 on the highway and 17 combined. The base V8 model also lacks the W12Â’s standard all-wheel steering and electronically controlled anti-roll bars, but those are still available if youÂ’re willing to cough up some extra cash, and relatively little of it, all things considered.

Bentley Flying Spur breaches in Beluga spec

Bentley did what it could to improve the styling on the Flying Spur, but if you're still of the impression that it's still a bit of a whale in its form, you may want to check out the new Beluga Specification. Available now to order on the eight-cylinder Flying Spur worldwide, the Beluga Specification features a number of upgrades designed to make Crewe's sedan look and feel more "athletic" inside and out. A unique set of 20-inch wheels and a gloss black grille distinguish the exterior, while the cabin is treated to piano black veneer, knurled shift paddles, contrast stitching, and finer carpets. Those looking to splurge (this is a Bentley, after all) can combine this package with the Mulliner Driving Specification and get 21-inch wheels along with other interior upgrades. Related Video: NEW BENTLEY FLYING SPUR BELUGA SPECIFICATION Jun 18, 2015 - New optional specification affords luxury four-door sedan an enhanced athletic stance - Striking exterior and interior styling cues boost visual appeal - Features 20" alloys, gloss black radiator and cabin styling highlights - Available exclusively on 4.0-litre twin-turbo Flying Spur V8 models (Crewe, 18 June, 2015) Bentley Motors is launching a new specification level exclusively for its Flying Spur V8 model – Beluga Specification. The contemporary trim level affords the Flying Spur sedan a more athletic stance and purposeful visual appeal. Featuring exclusive 20" Black and Bright machined alloy wheels, a gloss black radiator matrix and a body-coloured lower grille bar, the Beluga specification is the perfect enhancement for a modern performance saloon that perfectly blends craft and comfort. Inside the Flying Spur V8's sumptuous handcrafted cabin, buyers will find swathes of piano black veneer, knurled gear shift paddles, contrast stitching to the luxurious seats and steering wheel as well as deep pile floor mats and boot carpet with contrasting leather binding. When customers also specify the highly popular Mulliner Driving Specification, in combination with Beluga specification, the striking 21" 6-spoke Extrovert wheel is included. The Mulliner Driving Specification includes features such as diamond quilted hides, a knurled gear lever, drilled alloy pedals and an indented hide headlining. In 4.0-litre, twin-turbo V8 guise it develops 507 PS (500 bhp), sprinting from 0-60 mph in just 4.9 seconds (0-100km/h in 5.2 seconds) while at the same time offering a single-tank range of 500 miles.

Bentley plotting rear-drive Continental GT3-R?

Coupe, convertible or Flying Spur sedan: no matter what body-style you get, or what engine you specify, the Bentley Continental comes with all-wheel drive. It's been that way since the model line was first introduced a dozen years ago. But that looks poised to change... at least for one notable exception. According to Autocar, Bentley is all but certain to launch a rear-drive version of the Continental GT3-R sometime next year, ditching the front half of the drivetrain to cut a good 440 pounds off the curb weight to make it the lightest Conti yet. The Continental GT3-R launched last year with less weight and more power, along with a stiffer suspension, upgraded brakes and a titanium exhaust. It drew its inspiration from the Continental GT3 racer, but unlike the competition version, kept the AWD drivetrain in place. "A lot of people expected the GT3-R to be a proper rear-wheel-drive sports car," Bentley's chief engineer Rolf Frech said to Autocar, "but the problem was timing. We needed the car at the end of the first season of our GT3 racing car, and to do a proper change of the complete powertrain needed longer than we had. But we have the concept in our mind, so why not?" Denuded of its all-wheel drive, the Conti GT3-RS – assuming Porsche doesn't mind lending the name to its sister company – would be the most hardcore version of the go-to luxury coupe, and would promise to cut its already blitzkreig 3.6-second 0-60 time down even further. Especially if the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 were tuned to deliver even more than the 572 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque it already kicks out in the existing GT3-R. Chances are it'd be even less accessible, though: the 99 examples of the Conti GT3-R that are coming to the States out of the 300 total to be made already carry a $337k sticker price, and the rear-drive model would likely push the production:price see-saw even higher to the right.