Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid (2022)

The advanced electronic motor is located between the transmission and the engine and provides up to 134 bhp (136 PS) and 400 Nm (295 lb. ft) of torque. The permanent magnet synchronous motor delivers full torque instantly for silent acceleration from standing start. The rapid response of torque minimises any perceived delay often associated with turbocharger lag.

The E-motor is powered by a 14.1 kWh lithium ion battery and can be charged to 100 per cent in as little as two and a half hours (region specific). The power electronics convert the energy stored from the high voltage battery to supply the E-Motor or supplement the existing 12v vehicle electrical infrastructure.

The combined powertrain propels the Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid from 0-60 mph in 4.1 seconds (Flying Spur V8: 4.0 secs) and on to a top speed of 177 mph. Reduced CO2 values and lower fuel consumption are pending certification and will deliver the most environmentally focused powertrain of the range.

Subtle Integration of Hybrid Power

The interior of the Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid is a striking combination of the very latest integrated technology, beautiful ma terials and design prowess, now combined with the features required for a plug-in hybrid vehicle.

A dedicated button allows control over the three E Modes - EV Drive, Hybrid Mode and Hold Mode. These will enable the driver to manually manage battery usage during a journey - though this can also be managed automatically by the car:

EV DRIVE - is engaged as soon as the car is switched on, and maximises the electric driving experience. This is ideal for city driving and for shorter journeys.

HYBRID - maximise vehicle efficiency and range using data from the intelligent navigation system. This mode is suited for longer journeys and uses predictive E-Mode and engine coasting whilst following directions from the navigation system. Inputting a destination, the car will automatically engage the correct Drive Mode for each part of the journey, constantly calculating the most efficient use of battery charge and storing electrical energy for sections of the journey where it is most useful - such as when arriving in the city. The system will reduce on-board charge to zero just as the vehicle reaches its destination, maximising overall efficiency.

HOLD - balances engine and electric power to hold high voltage battery charge for later use conserving electric energy. This is the default mode when the driver selects Sport to provide consistent boost and recuperation.

The Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid is delivered with all of the required market specific cables, facilitating charging of the vehicle at the home or via industrial charge points at work or in public car parks. In addition to the standard equipment supplied, customers can also choose a Bentley branded wallbox available as a no cost option, providing an attractive solution housing the charge unit and storing the charge cables neatly.

Expanded Connected Car Services

The Flying Spur Hybrid incorporates a class-leading portfolio of intelligent and intuitive equipment tailored to the driver and passengers. An embedded SIM is provided, meaning My Bentley connected car features no longer require customers to provide their own data connection. My Bentley in-car and remote services is a continually-developing range of services available to customers through a dedicated app, available both on Apple iOS and Android mobile platforms.

Remote services - subject to regional availability - are accessible through the My Bentley app, including a range of features our customers now come to expect - from 'find my car' and 'lock my car', through to car status and statistics. Specific features for the new Flying Spur Hybrid can be found in the convenient features and are as follows:

• MY CAR STATISTICS - which provides an overview of vehicle data. You can view the time and date of recent trips as well as last trip distance, average speed, travel time and average fuel/electric consumption.
• MY BATTERY CHARGE - allows you to remotely initiate vehicle charging as long as your vehicle is plugged in. You can select the time you plan to leave and the charging system will calculate a rate of charging to achieve the highest level of charge in line with your departure.
• MY CABIN COMFORT - lets you remotely heat or cool the cabin to an optimum temperature of 22°C ahead of your journey.

The History of the Flying Spur

The illustrious history of the Bentley Flying Spur dates back to 1952, when Chief Designer, J.P. Blatchley, and engineer, Ivan Evernden, collaborated on an unofficial project to restore Bentley to the pinnacle of Grand Touring. Their design was based around the marque's 180 bhp 4.9-liter straight six engine that would be replaced in 1959 with a 6,320cc V8.

Their R-Type Continental was met with widespread acclaim, thanks to sleek bodywork designed by H.J. Mulliner and the ability to cruise all day at 100 mph. The S1 Continental Flying Spur of 1957 improved the all-round ability of the car with the added practicality of four doors - it cost the then princely sum of $9,814 (£8,034).

The Flying Spur name originated from Mulliner's Design Director, Arthur Talbot Johnstone, and more specifically from the heraldic coat of arms of his family, the Clan Johnstone of the Scottish Borders. The first example featured the Clan Johnstone spur mascot on the front grille.

Later, other coachbuilders offered their own bespoke interpretations of a four-door Continental. A total of 432 S1 models were built, of which Mulliner created the coachwork for 217 cars.

The R-Type and later S-Type Continental represented the last flourish of the coachbuilding era, where Bentley produced the chassis and driveline, while the bodywork and interior was crafted in independent coachbuilders.

The arrival of Bentley's larger, all-aluminum V8 engine in 1959 also marked the launch of the S2 Continental Flying Spur, the fastest four-door car in the world at the time. With dramatically enhanced performance, it featured electrically operated ride control, electric rear window defogger and press button window lifts.

A total of 1,900 S2 Fly Spurs were hand-built between 1959 and 1962. It represented a new era of luxurious, high performance motoring and transformed the British-built car into the ultimate Grand Tourer.

Bentley revived the Continental Flying Spur name in 2005 as a four-door version of the Continental GT coupe. The new model was available with a W12 engine and all-wheel drive - it combined luxury and performance in ways never seen before.

A second-generation model was revealed in 2013, named simply the Flying Spur. During the subsequent six years, the car was transformed by a program of constant development and refinement, including the addition of a V8 powertrain.

In 2019, the third generation of the Flying Spur, began a completely new chapter in the history of Bentley four-door Grand Touring. Not content with simply building on the two-door Continental GT, Bentley redesigned the all-new Flying Spur from the ground up so that it stands alone as the ultimate embodiment of luxury, refinement and performance.

The Design of the Flying Spur Family

The all-new Flying Spur is the third generation of Bentley's high performance, luxury sedan, completely reinvented with a more purposeful and emotional design. Hand-built in Britain, the ultimate luxury Grand Touring sedan was specifically created to satisfy both driver and passenger alike - to be as desirable to drive as it is to savor in the rear.

While it retains Bentley's unique DNA, the Flying Spur owes only its name to its illustrious predecessors. A quantum leap in performance, comfort and innovation, it was tailored specifically to the modern luxury customer. The application of advanced technology brought new levels of performance to every element of the car, offering a truly effortless ownership experience.

"The absolute commitment to excellence has been taken to a different level on this car," said Chris Cole, Bentley's Product Line Director. "Every aspect of its technical solution has pushed our technology and manufacturing ability to the absolute limit. This is, without doubt, the most advanced Bentley ever built. Our customers may have a fleet of cars in their garage but the default choice when they can only drive one car is a Bentley - because you have everything you require and more in the Flying Spur."

The Flying Spur is the most technically challenging car Bentley ever hand-built. The development team worked through some 2,000 detailed changes since the first design was specified - everything from the brackets and fixings to the alignment of certain pieces of trim.

Cole added: "Customers will not only enjoy being driven in the new Flying Spur Hybrid but also driving the world's most engaging Grand Tourer. It is a car without compromise, offering Bentley's unique combination of performance, elegance, luxury, refinement and exclusivity. We continually seek perfection in the quality of materials, the skill of our handcraftmanship and the attention to detail that goes into our cars because luxury is not about complexity, it is about ease of use. The Flying Spur is the pinnacle of those efforts."

The Flying Spur represents the future of extraordinary. With astounding attention to detail, powerful agility and intelligent and intuitive technology, it is the benchmark by which all other Grand Tourers should be judged.

In seeking to create the ultimate luxury grand touring sedan, the design team was tasked with coming up with a totally new character for the Flying Spur, one that was much more modern, powerful and elegant. The result is an athletic, contemporary design on an entirely new platform.

The new platform allowed Bentley engineers to extend the wheelbase by an impressive 5.11 inches (130mm), moving the front axle further forward. From a design perspective, this increased the so-called 'Prestige Mass' - the visible area of sheet metal between the front door shutline and the wheel - bestowing the new model with its unique, more dynamic character.

Based on a modern vision that is unmistakably Bentley, the Flying Spur now has an increased road presence and sleeker, more muscular lines that sweep over the haunches and the full length of the car. These key signature lines define the profile, as the power lines emerge from between the headlamps and then spear on through the doors, where they gently fade out.

The self-confident, sculptured expression of the profile and silhouette is complemented by new 21-inch wheels that are offered as standard, as well as the option of two further 21-inch wheel designs and one unique, 22-inch Mulliner Specification wheel.

Making a bold statement at the front, a retractable Flying B mascot adorns the hood for the first time on a modern-day Flying Spur. In Bentley's Centenary year, the iconic mas cot is restyled for the next century. Electronically deployed and illuminated, it is linked to the welcome lighting sequence and keyless entry system as the driver approaches the car.

The imposing radiator matrix is finished in gloss black, with bright chrome surround and vertical vanes that hark back to the 1957 Bentley S1 Continental Flying Spur. The lower matrix can be specified in either black or bright chrome.

State-of-the-art LED matrix headlights are standard, allowing the driver to operate on main beam all the time, automatically cutting a hole in the beam around oncoming vehicles to avoid dazzling other drivers. Matrix headlights feature unique, cut-crystal effect detailing. A chrome sleeve was added behind the cut element making them sparkle, even when not lit.

The elegantly proportioned, tapered rear of the Flying Spur was designed specifically to feature the written 'Bentley' script beneath the traditional winged 'B' motif. The rear, wrap-around lamps utilize the familiar, Bentley 'B' graphic and also display a cut-crystal effect. Large, twin chrome tailpipes hint at the power underneath the hood.

Inspiration for the exterior design was drawn from fuselage surfacing in aviation. The all-aluminum exterior panels were crafted with incredibly sharp undercut lines and flowing surfaces, thanks to Bentley's 'superforming' technology, which was originally developed to create muscular fenders.

The rear body side panel is the largest superformed panel in the automotive industry and involves flat sheets of aluminum heated to more than 932F (500C), before each part is cut to shape by a high-power laser. The process was first proven on the Bentley Continental GT. The resulting haunch, which is now separated from the power line, gives the car a far more potent stance.

Bentley utilized the latest technologies in aluminum extrusions and castings, alongside high-strength steels for the new Flying Spur, offering best-in-class body stiffness that optimizes both handling and rigidity.

Standard paint options for the Flying Spur Hybrid consists of eight Bentley colors, carefully selected to complement the character and lines of the car. This extends to far further through the Mulliner and the extended colour palette. Blackline specification is also available as an option, transforming further the look of the Flying Spur.

A Cabin for Driving and to be Driven in

The Flying Spur was designed as a car both to drive and be driven in. Contemporary and uplifting, the luxurious cabin skillfully combines key elements of Bentley DNA, cutting-edge technology and the finest automotive craftsmanship in the world. It features astounding detail, sculpted surfaces and contemporary lines that will constantly surprise and delight occupants.

"The interior of the Flying Spur is a striking combination of the very latest integrated technology, beautiful materials and design prowess. It is progressive but retains a timeless quality that will still be stylish and appealing for decades to come. With the Flying Spur we completely reinvented the segment to deliver a car that represents the state of the art of luxury Grand Touring," said Brett Boydell, Head of Interior Design for the Flying Spur.

Immediately differentiating the Flying Spur from its 2-door stablemate, the new wing-themed fascia wraps around the occupants and into the doors to give a spacious and intimate feeling. The interior design lines connect the front and rear passenger areas to create a completely integrated style.

The elegant, floating center console houses a customizable 12.3-inch HD touchscreen and the centerpiece of the Flying Spur's dashboard - totally new 'sculptural' center vents. Here, the traditional, round 'bullseye' vents were replaced with new shaped, precision detailed vents, either side of the Bentley clock. They are available in two finishes, polished and diamond knurled.

Diamond knurling also adorns the rotary switches and is also available on the air vents and clock, the latter featuring fine bronze detailing. The unique facet knurling process available involves 5,331 individual diamond shapes cut into the surfaces of the center vent panel alone, which is then translated to the B-pillar and rear vents. In order to produce this decorative detail, a new software algorithm and manufacturing process was invented to work with the complex curves of the ducts.

Below the central housing is a storage area, as well as inductive wireless charging and two USB sockets.

The Bentley Rotating Display, an industry first when launched in the Continental GT coupe, is also available in the Flying Spur. When the engine start button is pressed, the veneer section in the middle of the dashboard rotates to reveal a 12.3-inch touchscreen. This displays three, customizable digital tiles, which for the first time show information selected by the driver, from outside temperature to a compass or navigation.

The second side of the display reveals three elegant analog dials, while a complete digital 'detox' can be selected on the third side, simply displaying a seamless wood veneer fascia that continues around the cabin. For the Flying Spur, this can now be selected even when the car is being driven.

Emphasizing the spacious width of the cabin, sweeping horizontal veneer flows across the dashboard and into the doors, with eight single and seven dual luxury veneers to choose from. Crown Cut Walnut is offered as a new wood veneer option, using a straight cut process to provide a more modern finish. As well as the popular Dark Fiddleback and Piano Black options, a range of five further veneers are available. Dual veneer finish can also be specified in all veneer types to add an even more bespoke feel to the cabin.

The wing-theme graphic emanating from the fascia continues around the interior of the cabin doors, creating an elegant color split and seamless link between the front and rear seats. Mood lighting is available as an option with up to seven different colors and varying intensities offered.

A first for any car, and inspired by the Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 design concept, the Flying Spur offers three-dimensional diamond quilted leather inserts in the doors and rear quarter panels. "We wanted to take our tradition of quilting and push the envelope by moving the game on to the next level. The introduction of 3D leather quilting was a ground-breaking process - a totally fresh idea that had never been seen before." said Boydell.

Both front and rear seats were totally redesigned for the Flying Spur, from the style and functionality to the size and patterning. In the front, the seats feature a twin-flute design, while the cosseted, luxury rear environment is enhanced by new, supremely comfortable straight flute seats. With the Mulliner Driving Specification option, both front and rear seats feature lofted, diamond leather quilting, combined with traditional stitching and embroidery work, with three-dimensional quilting extended to the doors.

A full-length, double sunroof can also be specified. The twin glass panels feature a tilt and slide function to the front opening and are made from polarized glass that reduces glare. Alcantara blinds deploy electrically from the center roof bow and are color-matched to all 15 headlining colors. The sunroof allows light to flood into the Flying Spur's cabin, accentuating the open, roomy nature of the interior and the cosseting rear seating environment.

An Unrivalled On-Board Experience

The new Flying Spur redefines levels of comfort in a luxury Grand Tourer. From the very beginning, the focus was on ensuring that passengers in the rear enjoy exactly the same standard and quality of experience as those in the front.

Unique to the Flying Spur, and encapsulating the remarkable attention to detail and use of latest generation technology that Bentley prides itself on, is a multi-functional, 5-inch color Touch Screen Remote Control that is mounted in the rear, atop the center console.

The most sophisticated such control yet developed integrates seamlessly into the console but can be removed at the touch of a button for remote use. It is as simple to use as its design is beautiful to look at.

The unit allows backseat passengers to control many of the car features, including the window blinds, climate control and rear seat massage function. The front passenger seat can be moved forward if unoccupied for even more rear space, and key vehicle data can be accessed. The audio system, mood lighting and key sections of the navigation system can also be operated.

As it gets dark outside and the headlamps automatically turn on, an optional ring of mood lighting surrounds the cabin. It is available in a choice of seven different colors in two variations - vibrant and muted. The illuminated Bentley treadplates that welcome occupants to the Flying Spur are linked.

The system means the driver or passengers can set the color of the highlighted ring around the interior to suit their mood and separately adjust the ambient lighting, as well as the intensity. Favorite configurations can be stored in the Touch Screen Remote for future use.

The Flying Spur is available with the choice of three superlative audio systems. The standard system alone features 10 speakers and 650 Watts of sound. A Bang & Olufsen 1,500 Watts, 16-speaker system with illuminated grilles is aimed at lifestyle-orientated customers and benefits from the BeoSonic system - a new way for tone setting with a simple, intuitive one-touch user interface.

Top of the range is a unique, Naim for Bentley 2,200 Watts 18-speaker system with two Active Bass Transducers. Offered for the true audiophile, it also features a 21-channel amplifier, eight DSP sound modes, and illuminated speaker grilles.

The seats offer increased functionality, such as heating and cooling, active bolsters to support passengers laterally when the car is moving, and a top tilt function to further support the upper back.

The rear seats alone offer 14-way adjustment and five massaging modes. The key adjustments are made via the door-mounted switches, with additional functions actuated from the sophisticated Touch Screen Remote. The rear outer seats are both ventilated and heated to allow passengers to adjust to their personal preference. An electrically-operated comfort headrest allows for even greater relaxation. A center armrest and manually-deployed center headrest that stows away when not in use are also fitted.

Rear seat entertainment tablets are located on the back of the front seats to give the rear passengers access to the Bentley Multimedia System. These devices also allow access to the Google Play store and have their own internal memory.

The rear passenger environment also features a divider across the headliner which incorporates vanity mirrors, as well as controls for lighting and a blind for the optional sunroof.

Interior storage areas were designed to be both practical and beautiful. Front storage includes space under the lower dashboard, covered cup holders, a cooled glove box and door pockets. In the rear, storage consists of cup holders, phone and tablet spaces, plus a center armrest with generous amounts of room and electrical connectivity.

A Tour de Force of Technology

State-of-the-art technology was integral to designing the most luxurious four-door Grand Tourer in the world. Uniquely, the new Flying Spur is positioned to satisfy both driver and passengers alike, enhanced with a portfolio of intelligent connected car features that make the Flying Spur the undoubted leader in the luxury car segment.

As the most advanced Bentley ever built, the Flying Spur is a fusion of cutting-edge electronics and artisan craftsmanship. It represents the very latest in Bentley's forward-looking approach to technology, blending ease of use with exquisite design and functionality.

Featuring completely new electrical systems compared to its predecessor, the attention to detail paid by the development team is evident in every aspect of the car's development. Even the electrical consumption was minimized to save energy, resulting in the reduction of 12V batteries from two to one.

Combined with the ground-breaking Bentley Rotating Display, up to 10 sophisticated Driver Assistance Systems are available to help the driver in a variety of situations. The Top View Camera gives an ingenious, overhead view of the car and its immediate surroundings via the image processing of pictures provided by four different cameras around the car. This is complemented by reverse traffic warning and self-parking features.

The Night Vision infrared camera is located in the front of the car and monitors the road up to 984.25 feet (300 meters) ahead, making driving in poorly lit environments much safer. It detects and warns of moving obstacles such as pedestrians and large animals, allowing them to be viewed in the digital instrument display.

Active Lane Assist provides gentle steering assistance if it detects any drifting across lane boundaries, while Blind Spot Assist monitors the area around the car, flashing lights in the door mirrors if the driver attempts to cross the path of another vehicle. An optional Head-Up Display projects relevant information, such as current speed, speed limit, driver assistance and navigation information vehicle speed, directly in to the driver's line of sight.

Traffic Sign Recognition detects speed limits and zones in which overtaking is prohibited. When activated, its information is displayed in the digital instrument display and the Head-Up Display. Even temporary speed restrictions on roads can be detected.

The new Flying Spur's raft of class-leading connected car features help keep the driver in touch with a range of real-time functions and services. An integrated Wi-Fi hotspot allows up to eight phones or portable digital devices to be connected to the internet. Meanwhile, a suite of My Bentley services is on hand to enhance the driving experience.

Some features make the journey smarter, such as Apple CarPlay, which takes music, maps, contacts and more from an iPhone and delivers them via the car's central touchscreen, and Satellite maps, which allows the navigation system to display photorealistic maps.

Other services make the car journey safer, such as Private eCall, which facilitates a two-way communication between car occupants and Bentley's dedicated call center in the event of an accident. Activated automatically on deployment of any of the airbags, it can also be accessed via an SOS button in the roof module overhead.

The new Flying Spur incorporates a class-leading portfolio of intelligent and intuitive equipment tailored to the driver and passengers. For the Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid, connected car services will now also include My Battery Charge, My Car Statistics, and My Cabin Comfort.

Activate Lights and Horn helps the customer locate their parked Flying Spur, in situations such as a large parking lot, or at nighttime. Personal Navigation Assistant also enables them to contact a call center and conduct of points of interest search of the immediate area and beyond.

Packages of options also make it easier to commission collections of features together. City Specification includes Hands Free Trunk Opening, Pedestrian Warning, Reverse Traffic Warning and Automatic Dimming Mirrors. Touring Specification offers Lane Assist, Night Vision, Head-Up Display, Adaptive Cruise Control (with Traffic Jam Assist) and Bentley Safeguard Plus, with Emergency Lane Change Assist and Intersection Assist.

Located in front of the driver, the Digital Instrument Display introduces new graphics in comparison to the GT, for a more elegant bias befitting the nature of the four-door Flying Spur. It is fully configurable with 'Classic' and 'Expanded' views. The large 12.3-inch HD touchscreen in the center of the dashboard can also be configured in a number of different ways - as a single display, split 2:1 or showing three different functions at the same time - and was designed with simplicity and ease of use in mind.

As with every Bentley, features are added to enhan ce the experience of driving and travelling in the car, but never to dominate it.

Optimising Drive Dynamics And Ride Comfort

The third generation Flying Spur has one of the most advanced chassis in the world, encompassing a host of new systems to help ensure exciting driving dynamics and optimum levels of comfort, for both driver and passengers alike.

In a car that delivers the best of both luxury and performance worlds, the chassis systems play a key role by providing a number of different chassis setups at the same time. The Flying Spur doesn't simply deliver an extremely comfortable ride, but it also surprises with regards to its handling performance and its capability on twisty roads.

Both front and rear axles are lightweight aluminum construction, with double wishbone and multi-link suspension designs, respectively. The front axle has a rigid, bolted aluminum subframe to support the engine and also mounts the electric-assisted steering gear.

Three chamber air springs contain 60 per cent more air volume compared to the previous generation model. This allows more scope when electronically tuning the suspension, to improve the ride comfort and dynamic behavior of the car. For a softer, more comfortable ride the full volume is used, while a sportier setup is enabled by switching off some of the air volume.

Continuous Damping Control allows continuous regulation of the dampers in the air suspension system. Four ride height sensors constantly measure the distance between the axle and the body. If the system detects a difference compared with the normal height, the air volume in the springs is corrected accordingly to restore normal height and to use the full wheel travel for maximum ride comfort.

The chassis benefits from the use of lightweight materials, leading to weight savings of more than 24.25 lbs (11 kg) on the front axle. Further enhancements see friction reduced by the use of optimized wheel bearings and improved brake clearance. The new Flying Spur is equipped with high profile tires that not only deliver exceptional levels of comfort, but which are also designed to further minimize rolling resistance.

For exceptional stopping power, the new Flying Spur also features the largest iron brakes in the world, which it shares with the new GT. The diameter of the brakes was enlarged to 420 mm in response to the increased performance of the car. Standard fit is gloss black, with gloss red finish optional.

The World of Mulliner

If the 56 billion possible ways to configure a Flying Spur Hybrid doesn't satisfy an individual's needs, the limitless world of Bentley Mulliner is on-hand. As Bentley's own in-house bespoking and personalization division, Mulliner can design and create personal details according to individual customer requests and commissions. These include, but are not limited to:

• Bespoke interior colour combinations, using more than two colours and in any pattern across the cabin
• Bespoke fine lines to exterior body kits
• Bespoke wood veneers, including bespoke veneer inlays in either contrast woods or metals
• Customised treadplates, welcome lamp graphics and seat embroidery
• Stone veneers, with a range of four different stones
• Four different sustainable tweeds
• Painted wheels using accent colours