New 771bhp Bentley Flying Spur ready for world debut on 10 September
The new four-door luxury saloon will feature the V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain from the latest Continental GT Speed
The new Bentley Flying Spur will be formally introduced to the world on 10 September, and to get us excited, the next-generation luxury saloon has been previewed powersliding with the help of its plug-in hybrid V8 powertrain.
The new Flying Spur uses Bentley’s ‘Ultra Performance Hybrid’ system that powers the latest Bentley Continental GT Speed. It consists of a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine working together with an electric motor, producing 771bhp and a nice round 1,000Nm of torque.
For comparison, that’s nearly 150bhp and 100Nm more than the old W12 engine in the outgoing Flying Spur Speed. It will make this new model the most powerful and most efficient four-door in Bentley’s 105-year history, the brand says.
Bentley claims the new Flying Spur will offer more than 45 miles of pure-electric range, CO2 emissions below 40g/km and should cover more than 500 miles before needing to stop – a great boast for a continent-crossing saloon.
The brand says “the Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain is Bentley’s future, delivering astonishing flexibility, from incredibly accessible supercar performance to silent, effortless electric luxury. When fitted to the new Flying Spur, the powertrain will create the ultimate Bentley sedan – potent and tranquil in equal measure.”
The PHEV powertrain probably won’t be the only technology that will be carried over from the new Continental GT Speed. We expect the new Flying Spur will feature the same dual-valve dampers and dual-chamber air-suspension set-up, plus a rear-wheel steering system to help with low-speed manoeuvrability and high-speed stability.
As we can see, the new Flying Spur doesn’t look radically different from the current model, although the front bumper has been redesigned and there’s a new grille pattern. There will probably be some interior tweaks and technology upgrades as well, similar to those found in the latest Continental.
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