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First Drive: 2014 Bentley Flying Spur
May 21st
Filed under: Sedan, Bentley, First Drives, Luxury
Redefining Super Luxury On A Shrinking Planet
Anyone on Earth with access to the Internet, a television or radio for the last 20 years knows that China is no longer the poor stronghold for strict Communist ideals that it was for much of the 20th Century. (Well, at least not in some places.) Traveling to China twice in less than a month – first to Shanghai for a very international auto show and now to Beijing to drive and review the 2014 Bentley Flying Spur – I’ve learned that there’s no lack of personal wealth, at least in two of the world’s largest cities.
And yet, even I think the scene before me is a little bit ridiculous. Here I am, slowly climbing up a hillside to reach a fortification at something called Zhuanduo Pass, where roughly a dozen pristine examples of Western decadence sit idling their hand-built 12-cylinder engines in the shadow of China’s revered and awesome Great Wall. Not five kilometers south of here, I’d passed an old man in traditional all-black garb, literally carrying a bundle of sticks on his back from one side of a village to the other. Now as I look through the snug-fitting and silent side glass of the my $200,000+ palace on wheels, I’m more apt to see fat German tourists crisping in the hot Chinese sun while blowing the equivalent of an average Chinese monthly paycheck on lunch and a few Great Wall souvenirs.
Of course, it’s nothing like the average Chinese person that Bentley is targeting with this new Flying Spur. There is a rapidly ballooning class of rich and super rich in the People’s Republic these days; China can now lay claim to around 100 billionaires (in US dollars), as well as some 60,000+ individuals worth more than $16 million and, famously, now more than 1 million millionaires. Considering that Bentley had a booming year in 2012 by selling 8,510 vehicles, the importance of what is quickly becoming the world’s biggest luxury car market is easy to see.
And that’s why, despite the cost of hauling me from Ann Arbor to Beijing and back, and despite the cognitive dissonance of driving a $200,000+ car through villages whose buildings are probably worth less in total, Bentley jumped through a whole lot of hoops to pull off what it says is the first-ever global vehicle launch in China. I’ve got to tell you, if this is what being a trailblazer feels like, I could get used to it.
Continue reading 2014 Bentley Flying Spur
2014 Bentley Flying Spur originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Geneva Motor Show 2013: unconvincing Bentley Flying Spur unveiled
Mar 5th
Leo Wilkinson says the new Flying Spur has attracted mixed reactions at the Geneva Motor Show this morning.
Geneva: 2014 Bentley Flying Spur makes its Swiss debut
Mar 4th
Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Bentley, Luxury
Ever since the two-door Bentley Continental GT debuted in 2010, we’ve wondered how the coupe’s new design and technology would carry over to the four-door Flying Spur model. We received official details and images a couple of weeks ago, but we’ve now had the chance to see the Spur in person here on the eve of the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.
It’s a handsome sedan, this 2014 Flying Spur (which has officially ditched the Continental nomenclature, for what it’s worth). And even more handsome in the metal. The stock photos don’t do this big beast justice – especially in the rear three-quarter and profile views, where aspects of the car (namely its newly horizontal-shaped taillamps) can look a bit awkward.
More impressively, Bentley says that the new Flying Spur will be the “fastest, most powerful four-door” it has ever produced. Makes sense to us, especially considering the fact that the sedan borrows its twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 powertrain from the Continental GT Speed coupe. This twelve-pot mill is good for 616 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, able to propel the 5,451-pound, all-wheel-drive sedan to 60 miles per hour in 4.3 seconds. That’s quick.
Of course, what’s inside the Flying Spur’s cabin will be just as impressive as what’s under the hood, with every single luxury amenity you can think of available inside the leather-laden cabin. Both four- and five-passenger seating arrangements will be available, and like all Bentley models, the individual customization options will no doubt be endless.
Have a gander for yourself in the high-res image gallery above, and look below for the official press blast.
Continue reading 2014 Bentley Flying Spur makes its Swiss debut
2014 Bentley Flying Spur makes its Swiss debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Mar 2013 20:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Bentley reveals new Flying Spur
Feb 19th
Bentley’s new Flying Spur is sharper, faster and better looking. It will make its debut at the Geneva motor show on March 5.
Official: 2014 Bentley Flying Spur brings new design to four-door Continental
Feb 19th
Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Bentley, Luxury
After showing us a couple teasers recently, not to mention the leakage of official shots earlier today, Bentley has finally pulled the cover off the all-new 2014 Flying Spur, which will receive its global debut next month at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The big, bespoke sedan not only promises plenty of luxury in its full redesign, but Bentley is also saying that the new Flying Spur will be the “fastest, most powerful four-door” model it has ever produced.
To make sure it comes through on that bold statement, the 2014 Flying Spur is powered by the same twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 engine used in the Continental GT Speed. In the Flying Spur, this 12-cylinder engine produces 616 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, and it sends that power to the ground through a new eight-speed automatic transmission and a rear-biased (40/60) all-wheel-drive system. Launching the 5,451-pound sedan from 0-60 miles per hour will take just 4.3 seconds and 100 mph comes in less than 10 seconds; overall top speed is rated at 200 mph. Even with all that power and mass, Bentley is still expecting the next-generation Flying Spur to return better EPA fuel economy than the current model with projected (but not certified) estimates of 12 miles per gallon in the city and 20 mpg on the highway.
Befitting of its more powerful engine, the Flying Spur also gets a more athletic appearance with a more upright face, arched front and rear fenders and horizontal taillights that better distinguish it from the Continental GT. The new roofline also gives the car a sportier shape and the side windows add a more contemporary look, but this car is almost identical in size to the current model including the massive rear overhang, which helps accommodate 16.8 cubic feet of cargo.
For a car that will surely retain a starting price of just under $300,000 for the base model, there will be no shortage of luxury or technology inside the Flying Spur. The Flying Spur is offered with either seating for five or a four-passenger layout with a full-length center console. Front occupants are treated to the same interior found on the Continental including the dual brow instrument panel, the sporty, three-spoke steering wheel and the large touchscreen display. Some of the optional features for rear passengers to enjoy include a 1,100-watt, 11-speaker Naim audio system, a rear-seat entertainment system with a pair of 10-inch displays and there’s even the availability of a WiFi hotspot.
Continue reading 2014 Bentley Flying Spur brings new design to four-door Continental
2014 Bentley Flying Spur brings new design to four-door Continental originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Feb 2013 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Video: Bentley teases new Flying Spur before Geneva debut
Feb 4th
Filed under: Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Videos, Bentley
Last time we saw the 2014 Bentley Continental Flying Spur out testing, our only questions about the new car regarded its rear-end styling, and when the car would debut. Well now we know for certain that the car will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, and we’re also getting a better idea of what the car will look like thanks to Bentley releasing a brief teaser video.
The easiest-to-spot detail that we see in this Flying Spur video is the car’s horizontal taillights – the first such on a Bentley since the 1990s. We can also see that this hyper-luxury sedan will get a more squared-off front end than its Continental GT counterpart. But, from what we can tell, it will receive a similarly laid out interior, including the three-spoke steering wheel.
Scroll down to watch the video, and we’ve also attached the single-sentence press release in which Bentley promises to reveal more details about the car on February 20.
Continue reading Bentley teases new Flying Spur before Geneva debut
Bentley teases new Flying Spur before Geneva debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Feb 2013 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Spy Shots: Bentley Continental Flying Spur taking shape
Sep 26th
Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Performance, Bentley, Luxury
The redesigned Bentley Continental Flying Spur has again been caught undergoing testing, though this time away from public roads while tackling the Nürburgring’s 154 turns. The car we see in these new spy shots also reveals more of the Flying Spur’s new lines, which we expect to largely mirror the shape already seen on the new Continental GT and GTC models.
Likewise, the new four-door Continental will probably come with the same engine options as the coupe and convertible: the tried and true 6.0-liter W12 making 567 horsepower and the new twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 producing 500 hp. Its two stablemates were also updated with an eight-speed transmission for 2012, so expect the Spur to swap that many gears, as well.
Really, the only unknowns left are how Bentley will be handling the four-door specific design elements like the shape of the rear end, which is somewhat obscured by this car’s checkerboard camo, as well as when the sedan will debut. We’ve received no indication thus far that Bentley is planning to use the Paris Motor Show, which happens later this week, for the Flying Spur’s unveiling. That leaves a string of upcoming shows where it could happen, including the LA Auto Show, Detroit Auto Show and Geneva Motor Show.
Bentley Continental Flying Spur taking shape originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Sep 2012 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Official: Bentley goes even more Bentley with Linley edition Flying Spur [w/video]
Oct 3rd
Filed under: Sedan, China, Videos, Bentley, UK, Luxury
We’ve heard the accolades applied by eager salesmen to countless items: This thing you’re shopping for is the Rolls-Royce of its category. It’s the Mercedes-Benz of somethingorother. Usually it isn’t. But if any craftsman could be called the Bentley of furniture, it’s certainly David Linley.
The child of photographer and architect Anthony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, and Princess Margaret, Linley has established a name for himself as the finest designer and crafter of luxurious furniture in all of the UK, if not the world. He and his team manipulate wood, metal, glass and leather into some of the most sumptuous and striking pieces available. The Bentley of furniture, in other words. How fitting, then, that Bentley itself should collaborate with Linley for an exclusive special edition Continental.
Previewed about a month ago, the Linley edition Flying Spur has now been fully revealed at London’s Jack Barclay dealership. It features the finest Santos rosewood veneers covering the fascia, console, waistrail and roof console of the sedan’s interior. The waistrails and fold-down picnic tables feature Linley’s trademark Helix motif inlayed from four different types of wood into an intricate pattern. It’s also fitted with a custom Linley humidor – complete with cigar cutter and ashtray – burnt oak stitching on the upholstery, a rhodium-plated dedication plaque and even a special cashmere blanket.
In other words, you might call this the Bentley of Bentleys. But try not to like it too much: only 10 examples will be made, each earmarked for monied Anglophiles in the Chinese market. If you don’t meet those narrow criteria, you can still check it out in the fresh high-resolution image gallery, and in video footage and press release after the jump.
Continue reading Bentley goes even more Bentley with Linley edition Flying Spur [w/video]
Bentley goes even more Bentley with Linley edition Flying Spur [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Frankfurt: 2012 Bentley Continental GTC wafts onto stage [w/video]
Sep 14th
Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Convertible, Bentley, Luxury
When one of Volkswagen’s higher-end marques unveils a new version of one of its core products, you know one thing for certain: the debut is just the beginning. Because after the first new version rolls out, there will be a veritable landslide of variants to follow.
That’s the case with the Porsche 911, that’s the case with the Lamborghini Gallardo and that’s certainly the case with the Bentley Continental. The GT coupe was the first to be updated, the Flying Spur sedan is sure to follow in due course, and we can presume to see Speed and even Supersport versions as well. But before they come along, the Crewe has official lifted the veil on the GTC drophead.
The convertible model follows the lead of the updated Continental GT, only with a folding fabric roof. That gives the 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 and all its 567 horsepower ample opportunity to fill the cabin with its silken rumble and gracefully tousle the hair of its occupants.
We’ll be driving the new model within a couple of weeks, but in the meantime, this is our first look, so check it out from the Volkswagen Group pavilion here in Frankfurt in our gallery, or watch some B-roll after the jump.
Continue reading 2012 Bentley Continental GTC wafts onto stage [w/video]
2012 Bentley Continental GTC wafts onto stage [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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