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2022 Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid has pure electric range, near-V8 performance

Bentley is adding the new 2022 Flying Spur Hybrid as a third powertrain option in the Flying Spur family that already includes a W12 and V8 model. It’s BentleyÂ’s second hybrid vehicle, joining the Bentayga Hybrid in the companyÂ’s rollout of slightly greener vehicles. This Flying Spur PHEV is the result of borrowing powertrain components from Porsche for its powertrain components. A 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 and electric motor combine for a total system output of 536 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. The horsepower is slightly down from the Panamera 4S E-Hybrid, but its 553 pound-feet of torque is identical to the Porsche from which its powertrain is derived from. This motivates the Flying Spur Hybrid from 0-60 mph in just 4.1 seconds, which is just 0.1 second slower than the V8. Top speed is an impressive 177 mph. ThereÂ’s nothing slow about it. As for the electrics, Bentley is using a 14.1 kWh battery pack. Tested on the optimistic WLTP test cycle, Bentley predicts itÂ’ll have a range rating greater than 25 miles. The Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid with the same size battery pack (2020 model, because the 2021 Panamera got a bigger battery pack) is EPA-rated for 14 miles on a full charge, so we suspect the Flying Spur will be closer to this total when it receives its EPA rating. YouÂ’ll be able to choose between pure EV mode, Hybrid Mode or Hold Mode (retains current battery charge) depending on how you wish to utilize the battery charge on your drive. A new dedicated button on the interior facilitates these mode changes, and besides the necessary hybrid-specific infotainment software and cluster layout, is the only physical change to the interior. Hybrid models will be recognizable via their small “Hybrid” badge on the front fender. TheyÂ’ll also have new quad oval tailpipes and a charging port on the left rear fender. Fuel economy figures are not yet available from Bentley, but if the Panamera it shares powertrains with is any indication, we may not see massive gains by going from the V8 to the V6 hybrid. Porsche gains only 1 mpg going from the Turbo to a 4S E-Hybrid, so a similar 1- or 2-mpg bump from the V8Â’s 17 mpg combined figure seems likely. A total driving range of 435 miles is expected with this Hybrid model, which Bentley claims is the best in its lineup. Pricing isnÂ’t out yet, but Bentley says youÂ’ll be able to place an order for a Flying Spur Hybrid this summer. The first customer deliveries are scheduled for the end of 2021.

Bentley planning new Le Mans prototype for LMP2 class

Word has it that Bentley is planning a new Le Mans prototype racer. Speaking with Bentley chief Wolfgang Durheimer, Autocar reports that a new LMP2 project is underway at Crewe. The program would be run in-house instead of outsourced to a partner racing team. But while the prototype would likely use the company's 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, the chassis by necessity would have to be outsourced: the three major sanctioning bodies recently got together to approve Dallara, Oreca, Riley-Multimatic, and Onroak exclusively to supply LMP2 chassis, so Bentley would have to base its design around one of theirs. The British automaker might have a number of reasons for restricting itself to the LMP2 class. Chief among them is likely the presence of both Porsche and Audi in the top-tier LMP1 category, and parent company Volkswagen's likely reluctance to send another one of its brands into the same fight. Another is budget: developing and fielding a competitive LMP1 program can be as costly as running an F1 team, whereas the prospect of sourcing and adapting an LMP2 chassis from an approved supplier would cost Bentley far less. But another factor not to be discounted is that Bentley may be choosing its battles carefully. Where the LMP1 prototypes are constricted largely to Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship of which it is part, there are several series that top out at LMP2 – most notable the IMSA SportsCar Championship where Bentley is tipped to focus first, but also in the European Le Mans Series and Asian Le Mans Series. In fact [SPOILER ALERT] an LMP2 entry just won the 24 Hours of Daytona for the first time, beating out the Daytona Prototypes against which they compete. Those are bragging rights that Bentley could be keen to capture, and if it plays its cards right, it could sit out the LMP2 class at Le Mans and in the WEC altogether, rather than compete for second-tier victory behind its big brothers in LMP1. That would make this program radically different from the last time Bentley built a Le Mans prototype. In the early 2000s, Bentley fielded successive versions of the Speed 8 (pictured above) with a little help from Audi, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans outright in 2003. The company then shut down the program, only to return to racing with the Continental GT3, developed with longtime Ford rally partner M-Sport and offered to privateer teams.

2020 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid is less efficient on the highway than V8 version

Official EPA fuel-economy ratings are out for the 2020 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid, the luxury brand’s first electrified offering, and they donÂ’t exactly bathe the crossover in a green light. As spotted by Green Car Reports, the plug-in performs worse on the highway than its V8-powered combustion sibling. The EPA rated the Bentayga Hybrid as delivering 18 miles in all-electric range, which is two miles more than Bentley previously touted, and a combined 19 miles per gallon in hybrid mode, which is indeed the most efficient of the three Bentayga versions offered. ItÂ’s rated at 17 mpg city and 21 on the highway. By contrast, the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 version of the luxury crossover offers just 17 mpg combined, yet it delivers 23 mpg on the highway. Its overall EPA-rated highway range also beats the Hybrid, at 518 miles to 430 miles on a full charge and tank. The Bentayga Hybrid combines a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 and a 94 kilowatt electric motor that also functions as a generator. The system combines for 443 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, with a 5.2-second 0-60 mph time. It sends that through an eight-speed automatic transmission driving all four wheels. Curb weight is a hefty 5,709 pounds. Base price starts at $160,000. The V8, by comparison makes 542 hp, nearly 100 more ponies, and 568 lb-ft, with a 0-60 mph of 4.4 seconds. It will set you back $171,025. At any rate, both versions are well below the 27 combined mpg of the average 2020 vehicle, according to the EPA. The HybridÂ’s fuel economy ratings suggest that buyers may be motivated less by concerns about carbon footprint than conveying the appearance of having those concerns. Bentley has said its first full electric vehicle will be a dedicated model that will arrive in 2025 at the earliest, and possibly with a solid-state battery pack. Related Video: