Bentley CONTINENTAL FLYING SPUR Review

Every now and again I get to drive a car that I know is going to be great before I even start the engine. There have been plenty of cars that I have managed to keep an open mind about and discovered their strengths, simply by driving and living with them for a while. However the Bentley Continental Flying Spur, to give it the rather stately full title, is one which I knew would be a stupendously good car even before I set eyes on it.

As an automotive journalist, it’s almost an occupational hazard to find yourself predisposed to cars before you even drive them, principally due to the fact that you are exposed to reviews and press releases. Even though I knew that the Flying Spur had been widely accepted by the motoring press fraternity as one of the best automobiles ever made, it still knocked me for six.At a starting price of £117,500, you’d expect the Bentley to possess qualities that justify the price and you’d be right.

Perfect in ‘Moonbeam’ silver, the supplied car was stunning; a perfect form blended from long straight lines, arcs and sublime curves. Inside the spacious and sumptuous cabin, the stitched cream leather covered virtually every surface which wasn’t covered with dark stained, highly lacquered walnut. Chrome switches and panels adorned the perfectly appointed control surfaces. To say that the Flying Spur is beautiful would be an understatement and to say it is anything less would just be a lie.

The Flying Spur is a large, spacious and luxurious four-door grand tourer with incredible performance dynamics. Open the throttle at standstill and by the time you reach 60 MPH, you’ll be less than five seconds older – keep your right foot down and you’ll reach 195 MPH. The technology that gets you
there is as unbelievable as the figures; a six litre 552 BHP W12 petrol engine, which is roughly the same format as 2 V6 format engines side by side, linked to a six-speed automatic gearbox powers all four wheels.

The entry and ignition system is keyless and seating is fully adjustable in every conceivable direction. The seats were almost too comfortable to be described with real words and they are not only heated but cooled and also had a massage action, which admittedly took a bit of getting used to but I ended up using it almost full time. An on-board computer manages everything from the vehicle management to the communication and entertainment systems, all of which are cutting edge. The cabin space is huge, especially in the back – rear passengers seem to be a surreally long way from the front of the car and boot space is an unbelievable 475 litres.

As soon as the car was delivered, I didn’t waste any time getting it out into the lunchtime traffic in Belfast. Driven normally, the ride is exquisitely smooth, quiet and relaxing but open the throttle on a clear road, the ‘Spur produces a satisfying deep growl and accompanied by fantastic acceleration. You really do need to use the paddle-shift gearing and sport mode to get the best out of the car but it will still amaze you in automatic gearing selection. Cornering is superb, especially for such a big car, thanks to a fully adjustable and highly advanced active air suspension system, combined with perfect geometry and a permanent four-wheel-drive system.

This is an amazing car; a beautiful, capable and incredibly fast grand-tourer and a spacious, modern and comfortable four-door. The Bentley badge has always been synonymous with high class, beautiful luxury cars but there is no doubt in my mind that the Flying Spur is a piece of automotive
perfection offering possibly the most complete driving experience available.