Bentley Flying Spur Review: A Luxurious Experience

By: Mansoor A. Bukhari

January 5,2016

3 min read

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Review of the Bentley Flying Spur: A Luxurious Experience

Bentley Flying Spur

Introduction

The Flying Spur was launched over a year ago, and it’s time to put it to the test and see if it lives up to the Bentley badge. The Flying Spur is to Bentley what the Ghost is to Rolls Royce; it is more affordable and practical than the larger Mulsanne. It offers more than just appearances. Let’s explore our experience with the four-door Continental GT model.

Exterior Design

At first glance, you might not notice significant changes compared to previous models. The only noticeable difference is at the rear of the car. From the side, it resembles the older Audi A8 and the Maserati Quattroporte, which was launched around the same time in the UAE. Like other Bentley vehicles, this model comes in luxurious color options based on customer preferences. However, these premium colors require longer delivery times depending on availability. Bentley also offers a variety of alloy wheel options.

Interior

Bentley undoubtedly provides luxury. This car is for those who do not want to compromise and are willing to pay any price for their desired vehicle. Similar to the exterior colors, the interior materials are also customizable, or customers can select from available options. Inside, you will find a blend of leather and wood, providing a luxurious feel the moment you enter the vehicle. There is also a "Mulliner" option for those who want to stand out.

One area I noticed could be improved is the sound insulation. For a car priced around a million dirhams, I expected not to hear any annoying noises. However, the good news is that the engine is remarkably quiet.

Being a Bentley, this car offers ample space both in the front and rear, especially in the back. The rear seats make you feel as if you are sitting in business class on an airplane due to the generous legroom. Additionally, the trunk has enough space for all your luggage.

Regarding visibility, I was surprised by the absence of blind-spot monitoring, but fortunately, the windows are designed to provide good visibility. Overall, I have no complaints.

As for features, you have everything you would expect: massage seats, seat cooling, high-definition touch screens, and more. This level of luxury is expected from Bentley; anything less would be unacceptable.

Driving Experience

The 6.0L W12 engine, producing 616 horsepower and 800 Nm of torque, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, propels this three-ton beast. What I loved most about driving it was the immediate torque available at any speed without any delay. You don’t need to press hard on the accelerator to reach high speeds. During my drive, I never exceeded 4000 RPM, but when I accelerated on a straight road, I was instantly impressed. The Flying Spur can go from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds, but in my case, it took about 6 seconds.

In terms of fuel consumption, do not expect efficiency. During my test drive, it consumed 18.7L/100km. However, this is expected given the car’s size and engine.

This remarkable power is combined with an excellent suspension and braking system. The result? It feels like it wants you to drive it, especially around corners. On roads that recommend turning at about 40 km/h, this car smoothly navigated at over 100 km/h. This is impressive considering its weight. The brakes are phenomenal too; this car can stop from 100 to 0 km/h in just 2.8 seconds, a figure comparable to sports cars! Amazing!