The fastest and most powerful Bentley sedan in history – the all-new Bentley Flying Spur – has been revealed ahead of its international debut at next month’s 2013 Geneva motor show.
Under the bonnet of the Flying Spur sits a 460kW/800Nm twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre W12 engine, propelling the newest addition to the second-generation Bentley Continental range from 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 322km/h.
Those figures make the new Bentley Flying Spur 48kW/150Nm more powerful than the first-gen Flying Spur, and impressively 11kW/50Nm stronger and two-tenths quicker than the hardcore Flying Spur Speed. Despite the added power, the new model is 14 per cent more fuel efficient, burning 14.7 litres per 100km on the combined cycle.
Like the rest of the current Continental line-up, the Flying Spur upgrades from a six-speed automatic transmission to an eight-speed auto, with power delivered to all four wheels.
At 5295mm long, 1976mm wide and 1488mm tall, the new Bentley Flying Spur is just 5mm longer and 90mm taller than the model it replaces.
While retaining the presence of the first-gen model, the new Flying Spur looks fresh from every angle. The headlights, grille, intakes and bonnet have all been subtly redesigned at the front, drawing inspiration from the two-door Continental range.
Cleaner lines and an elegantly sloping roofline sharpen up the profile, while horizontal LED tail-lights and a relocation of the licence plate from the bumper to boot lid creates a unique appearance at the rear.
The changes are just as significant on the inside, with the Flying Spur gaining 600 new parts, retaining just the sun visors, grab handles, armrests and some of the front console.
Available in four- or five-seat configurations, owners can choose between 12 leather colours to match their selection from seven wood veneer finishes.
The new Bentley Flying Spur is also equipped with a significantly enhanced infotainment system. At its heart is an eight-inch high-resolution touchscreen that integrates satellite navigation, Bluetooth connectivity and voice control functionality, which teams with an eight-speaker audio system with CD, DVD, SD card and in-built hard drive audio playback.
The Multi-Media Specification option turns the Flying Spur into a rolling office, adding an active SIM, Wi-Fi hotspot, enhanced internal storage, twin 10-inch LCD screens in the front seat backs and multimedia players in pockets beneath allowing connectivity to most portable mediums.
While the standard palette features 17 paint colours, an expanded list of more than 100 is available, along with a range of 19-, 20- and 21-inch alloy wheels, and a range of additional personalisation options in the bespoke Mulliner Driving Specification line.
The circa-$370,000 Bentley Flying Spur will make its public debut in Geneva on March 5.
