Bentley launches new Flying Spur S
Racier S badge returns to Bentley's four-door model. You can even have a hybrid...
Just last week we reported on the introduction of a new generation of Bentley GT S; this week it’s the turn of the Flying Spur to submit itself to Crewe’s sporting treatment. Much like the Continental - and unlike the previous generation - this makeover is chiefly a styling exercise. As you can see, the manufacturer has gone to town on the ‘black brightware’ - only the badge and the Bentley lettering retain their chrome finish. There’s an all-new 22-inch wheel option (with five Y-shaped spokes, in gloss black or Pale Brodgar Satin finish) or a 21-inch tri-spoke, both exclusive to the S model.
You’ll make your own mind up on the effect of all this primping (or possibly pimping). If for you the Flying Spur means understated elegance, you might regard all this leery black trim and bespoke two-tone interior as sacrilege. But it’s worth pointing out that the V8-powered model easily lives up to a more purposeful look in the driving. We tried it out 18 months ago, and came away thinking that it might be the best all-round large saloon money can buy. And that was without the active anti-roll bars that Bentley has made standard on the S model.
Lest we forget, the larger, heavier Flying Spur also gets the four-wheel steer that Bentley declined to fit to the GT S (it is exclusive to the GT Speed), so we’re going to go out on a limb and say that it’ll live up to the challenge of pushing on a bit. True enough, like its GT sibling the new Flying Spur variant gets no more power to spice the existing broth - and were it our signature going on the bottom line, we’d still be mildly indignant about the Porsche owners trumping its 550hp output - but we’re willing to concede that 4.0-seconds-to-62mph in a saloon weighing the best part of two-and-a-half tonnes is probably quick enough.
Moreover, if you really want one, you can also have the Flying Spur S as a hybrid V6. Why you’d want to deny yourself the very pleasant sound of a charismatic V8 is a mystery - but if the ability to do 26(ish) miles under battery power alone is a dealbreaker, then the option is available. No word on price or availability yet, although Bentley has confirmed that the entire S range will make its debut at the Festival of Speed, so expect to find out both next week.
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