Spur of the Moment
In its recent history, luxury vehicle maker Bentley has introduced a number of new models beyond their more traditional four-door sedan. These newer models include an SUV, a convertible and coupes. But the Bentley action in the 2020 model year is focused on a major redo of their classic four-door sedan ... the Flying Spur.
Styling continues with its classic semi-rectangular large grille, but with it being expanded on all fronts. Large, super high-tech headlights are found on either side of the grille. New chrome pieces are below this area. Huge 21-inch wheels/tires highlights the performance edge. As in the past, the low roofline sweeps above the four doors and is nicely integrated into
the trunk area. Huge chrome exhaust pipes are below the rear bumpers. Literally within 10 minutes of driving this Bentley, Honolulu residents commented favorably on its looks.
But as in the past, looks are only part of the package. Under the hood
is a very large 6-liter 12-cylinder powerplant (in a W-12 configuration) tied to an eight-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. With a total of 626 horsepower, power is certainly not lacking. This combination results in instant acceleration with a 0-60 time of 3.7 seconds and a top speed of a super swift 207 mph.
Clearly, the interior and its features reinforce the luxury limousine thesis. Leather, wood, and chrome are spread throughout the four-seat interior. And the leather is not simply flat layered on the seats and doors. Instead, the surfaces have character, undulations, and ripples ultimately resulting in both comfort and beauty. In the front area, the latest in electronic features are present and accounted for. The large center of the dash 12.3-inch touch video screen provides lots of information including video views of the front and rear of the car and 360 degrees around the car. Unlike other cars, when the engine is turned off, the screen flips over and disappears—reappearing once the engine is restarted. In the center console, many buttons and dials handle multiple features.
The leather-covered steering wheel is equipped with paddles that are mounted behind it for manual shifting, while the front of the steering wheel features additional button controls.
Clearly, the rear two seats are spacious. Unlike most of the automotive world, the seats can be moved back and forth and the seat back tilled with a push of the buttons on the doors. Mirrors can be dropped down from the ceiling, and a video screen is mounted on the back of the center console. A sizable sunroof is mounted in the roof above this area, and can be controlled by the back seat occupants. As one would expect, the trunk space area is easily accessed with a button on the dash or the key, and can be closed with an additional button on the lid itself.
But the real fun can be felt when on the road. Opening and closing the doors results in a light coming on under the doors showing the Bentley symbol on the pavement. With a push of a button, the large engine is ignited with relative silence in normal operation. And even when pressed one can feel the super thrust with some engine sounds. The transmission shifts without much detection, but can be manually shifted with those aforementioned paddles. Steering is light and direct, and is helped with rear wheel steering when needed. The spring system has four different height settings to control cornering and the general ride. A heads up display is on inside of the front window, which shows the local speed limit and actual speed of the car.
Clearly this third-generation Bentley Flying Spur has upped the ante in the field of speedy super luxury sedans. It not only looks great, but also has a splendid interior.
2020 BENTLEY FLYING SPUR MODEL: FOUR-DOOR SEDAN, FOUR SEATS.
PRICE: BASE PRICE $214,600, AS TESTED $273,680.
POWERTRAIN: : 6-LITER 12-CYLINDER ENGINE (IN A W-12 CONFIGURATION) 626-HORSEPOWER, EIGHT-SPEED DUAL CLUTCH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. ALL WHEEL DRIVE.
PERFORMANCE: 0-60: 3.7 SECONDS, TOP SPEED 207 MPH