Tuesday 5th December 2017

Bentley Continental Flying Spur: Spotted

Over 500hp, swathes of luxury and less than £30,000... Yes please!

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To many, owning a Bentley shows the world you've made it or, in the case of the Continental GT, that you're good at kicking a football. The Conti was, of course, the first car released under the brand's post VW rebirth, but the two-door GT soon spawned a four-door variant - the Flying Spur.

Like other VW owned products, the Flying Spur shared a platform with the Volkswagen Phaeton and powertrain components with the Audi S8. In reality though, few owners will have cared about the origins of its components, as when PH tested the Flying Spur we discovered that 95 per cent of Flying Spur buyers are driven by someone else. This 2006 diamond black model is no different, with the ad stating the car has been chauffeur driven from new.

If the new owner prefers piloting themselves, the W12 twin-turbo engine is no slouch. With 560hp and 479lb ft through all four wheels, it can be hustled along to its top speed of 194mph very quickly indeed. Our colleagues over at Autocar stated the brakes on the Flying Spur deserved a special mention too, able as they are to resist fade when stopping a car weighing near enough two and a half tons. Which is reassuring.

Sitting in the front seat, the driver will be met with sumptuous magnolia hide and burr walnut inlays but the knobs and switches may feel a little under engineered when compared to the rest of the cabin, a flaw rectified in later models. But the Flying Spur was built to rival other luxobarges like the Mercedes S-Class, Jaguar XJR and BMW 7-Series, so the true feeling of luxury comes in the rear of the cabin. Being seated in the comfort of the reclining seats with individual climate control and deep pile carpets gives a true sense of serenity as the driver wafts through cities or across continents.

Is there anything else that can provide that amount of luxury and power for the money? Well, keeping things British for now, the Jaguar XJR with a supercharged V8 ticks a few boxes, especially being a few years younger, but the closest rival in terms of opulence and speed comes from Italy and the Maserati Quattroporte. The latter may provide what looks like a sportier package and lower running costs, but the Bentley is capable of a higher top speed and quicker 0-62mph time. It may be an old cliché but the Flying Spur is a lot of car for not a lot of money. So, what are you waiting for?

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SPECIFICATION - BENTLEY CONTINENTAL FLYING SPUR

Engine: 5,998cc, twin-turbo W12
Transmission: 6-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 560@6,100rpm
Torque (lb ft): 479@1,600-6,100rpm
MPG: 17
CO2: 396g/km
First registered: 2006
Recorded mileage: 61,000miles
Price new: £133,200
Yours for: £25,950

See the original advert here

[Buffy d]

I looked at these, and at Conti GTs, then looked at reliability, repairs and running costs and swiftly changed my mind about ever buying one. Hell of a car and huge respect to anyone who does but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

Edited by Buffy d on Tuesday 5th December 15:00