Autocar June 12, 2019

RIFLING THROUGH THE Autocar archive recently, an October 1955 issue described the Bentley S1 as having “a degree of comfort and performance that is beyond the experience and perhaps even the imagination of the majority of the world’s motorists”. As Bentley reveals its third-generation Flying Spur (p8), more than 60 years later, those exact words could still apply today. Through its 100-year life, Bentley has held true to its original and very British values. That’s true even under its German owner of the past 21 years, the Volkswagen Group, which has largely left Crewe to run itself. Yet these past few years for Bentley have been tough, with heavy VW investment yielding little profit. At last, the tide seems to be turning. In the first quarter of this year, it made a profit…

The third-generation Bentley Flying Spur will represent a “quantum leap in technology, performance and innovation” over its predecessor, according to the Crewe-based maker. Bentley hopes to establish itself as the leader in the ultra-luxury saloon market ahead of the new Rolls-Royce Ghost’s arrival next year and says it has created a car that “maintains Bentley DNA” to appeal to loyal customers while offering contemporary design to entice a new generation of buyers. The goal for the model – which follows the Bentley Bentayga and Continental GT in the sales rankings – is to offer sports saloon agility paired with limousine refinement so that it caters to both drivers and those being chauffeured. The latter is a crucial selling point for the Flying Spur in China, which is the largest market for the…

RIFLING THROUGH THE Autocar archive recently, an October 1955 issue described the Bentley S1 as having “a degree of comfort and performance that is beyond the experience and perhaps even the imagination of the majority of the world’s motorists”. As Bentley reveals its third-generation Flying Spur (p8), more than 60 years later, those exact words could still apply today. Through its 100-year life, Bentley has held true to its original and very British values. That’s true even under its German owner of the past 21 years, the Volkswagen Group, which has largely left Crewe to run itself. Yet these past few years for Bentley have been tough, with heavy VW investment yielding little profit. At last, the tide seems to be turning. In the first quarter of this year, it…

Bentley demands its cars do a great deal. In fact, there’s a pretty strong argument that the Bentayga SUV has the broadest remit of any car on the planet: it has to be sporting, luxurious, capable of an incredibly high top speed and also be an off-roader. At least, for the Flying Spur, there’s no need for the off-road requirement. But the expected top speed is higher and the accepted comfort level of a luxury saloon will have to be higher, too. And rolling comfort, or ride quality, is, presumably as a result of having a top speed that starts with a two, something the Flying Spur has sometimes struggled with to date. This time, then, they’ve thrown absolutely everything at the car: active rear steer, three-chamber air suspension, adaptive dampers, 48V…

How similar is the Flying Spur to the Continental GT? “The Continental, GTC and Flying Spur were developed in parallel. There should be a family feeling but we’re not talking about twins here. The only design carry-over are the door handles and mirrors. Inside, the Flying Spur is clearly from the same Bentley family but the interior is a bit more rich. The GT’s focus is on sportiness and performance, whereas the Flying Spur is for customers who want more decoration.” Do you have a favourite Flying Spur detail? “It’s always difficult to answer that but it was such a long process to develop the new Flying B [emblem], and it’s such a story for the brand and not just Flying Spur. The air vent inside with the 5331 diamond [shapes] is another…

The third-generation Bentley Flying Spur will represent a “quantum leap in technology, performance and innovation” over its predecessor, according to the Crewe-based maker. Bentley hopes to establish itself as the leader in the ultra-luxury saloon market ahead of the new Rolls-Royce Ghost’s arrival next year and says it has created a car that “maintains Bentley DNA” to appeal to loyal customers while offering contemporary design to entice a new generation of buyers. The goal for the model – which follows the Bentley Bentayga and Continental GT in the sales rankings – is to offer sports saloon agility paired with limousine refinement so that it caters to both drivers and those being chauffeured. The latter is a crucial selling point for the Flying Spur in China, which is the largest market…