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Bentley Flying Spur: Test Drive Review

Date: 25 October 2013   |   Author: Jack Carfrae

Category: Luxury
P11D price: £149,900
Key rival: Mercedes S-class
On sale: September 2013

You could be forgiven for surprise at seeing a 200mph, £150,000 super saloon in BusinessCar. We acknowledge that it's pretty far removed from your average fleet vehicle, but there is a serious reason for including it, because the Flying Spur is the model that Bentley believes is most likely to be bought by top-flight executives who genuinely will use it for business purposes.

It also has the potential to make a modest splash in the private hire market, so despite the fact that it's a lot more pricey than an 'entry-level' Mercedes S-class at £61,210, that's the territory it's competing in.

The latest version of the Flying Spur is the most powerful four-door Bentley has ever produced. It comes with a behemoth of a 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 engine (that's two V6 units bolted together) and an astonishing 625hp. That renders it good for 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds.

Bentley thinks the car will serve a dual purpose, as both a chauffeur business vehicle and the kind of car its owners will want to drive themselves when they're off the clock. With that in mind, a new adaptive suspension system has been introduced to allow the driver to toggle between a harsher, sportier ride and a softer, more comfortable one. Such systems are common enough on more sedate cars but it's a new one for the Flying Spur.

A particularly trick new feature is the touch-screen remote. It's about the size of a portable satnav device and is housed in the back of the centre console, in front of the rear passengers' feet. Detach it, and you (the back-seat passenger) can control elements such as the climate control, satnav and audio systems among other things.

Trickery aside, the Flying Spur is as monumentally powerful and comfortable as you would imagine. It's a big, wallowy thing and takes its time to respond, but the eventual surge of grunt is unbelievable. The cabin is beautifully crafted too, and it is extremely quiet, but despite all the efforts Bentley has made towards upping occupant relaxation, a Mercedes S-class is arguably slightly superior in terms of ride and refinement. 

Bentley Flying Spur
P11D price £149,900
Model price range £149,900-£150,200
Fuel consumption 19.2mpg
CO2 (tax) 343g/km (35%)
Service interval 10,000 miles
Insurance (1-50) group 50
Warranty 3yrs unlimited mls
Boot space 442/N/A litres
Engine size/power 5998cc 625hp
Top speed/0-62mph 200mph/4.6secs

Verdict


As extravagant and powerful as luxury transport gets.
7/10

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