Bentley Continental Flying Spur Review

Essentially the four-door version of Bentley's Continental GT coupe, this nearly 5,500-pound sedan exhibits impressive agility and poise at the limit that set it apart from its ultra-luxury competition. In terms of pure luxury, ride quality and presence, the Bentley Continental Flying Spur might lose some style points to its ultra-expensive competition -- but with a price tag that's more than $100,000 cheaper, there are bound to be some trade-offs.

The Flying Spur combines classic British design with a decidedly Teutonic expression of meticulous fit and finish (courtesy of VW's ownership of Bentley). There are enough animal hides and pieces of veneered timber to serve duty in the finest English men's clubrooms…or to bring tears of protest from some environmentalists.

But escape is only a throttle press away, as the twin-turbo W12 engine found in both the regular Flying Spur and the higher-performance Flying Spur Speed can quickly haul their significant mass to a top speed of nearly 200 mph. Providing the counterweight to all this motion are huge brakes that bring the big Bentley back to rest with impressive composure.

All told, the Bentley Continental Flying Spur provides the requisite levels of high-end luxury while adding a surprising dose of on-road competence and fun, too. For the fortunate few in the market for an ultra-luxury sedan, it should prove to be an appealing combination.

Current Bentley Continental Flying Spur

The Bentley Continental Flying Spur is an ultra-luxury sedan available in a base version and the higher-performance Flying Spur Speed variant. Both versions of this ultra-luxury sedan are powered by a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 engine attached to a six-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is also standard. The base Flying Spur produces 552 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, which takes the GTC from zero to 60 in 4.8 seconds.

The GTC Speed features 600 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, getting to 60 mph a half-second quicker. In addition to the bigger engine, the Speed version gets bigger wheels, bigger brakes, a retuned suspension and consequent improved handling dynamics. Despite these performance upgrades, the Speed retains every drop of Bentley civility.

Naturally, standard equipment is generous. Nineteen-inch wheels, an adjustable air suspension, four-zone automatic climate control, navigation, Bluetooth phone connectivity and leather everywhere are all part of the package. Options include adaptive cruise control, front-seat lumbar massage, a full-length center console (that reduces seating capacity to four) and a 15-speaker Naim audio system. A Mulliner Driving Specification package includes special 20-inch wheels, alloy foot pedals, diamond-quilted leather and a choice of exclusive veneers. A further range of customization is provided via 17 leather color choices and an almost endless selection of exterior paints.

With its adjustable air suspension and sophisticated engineering, the Bentley Continental Flying Spur can float along the freeway, enveloping its occupants in quiet comfort, or just as easily zip through corners like a sport sedan that's half a ton lighter. In fact, in our testing it bettered the slalom speeds of the BMW 7 Series and matched the Bentley Continental GT coupe. Although hardly a sports car, the Flying Spur's steering is rock solid at speed and light when you need it to be around town -- exactly what most ultra-luxury sedan buyers are looking for. The Flying Spur Speed ups the performance ante considerably, but still retains its status as a posh luxury cruiser.

Used Bentley Continental Flying Spur Models

The Bentley Continental Flying Spur debuted as an all-new model for 2006. That original year featured an even more antiquated, CD-based navigation system. For '07, today's DVD-based system arrived along with Bluetooth and the Mulliner Driving Specification package. Satellite radio became standard the next year, while a rearview camera joined the options list.

The Continental Flying Spur Speed was added to the lineup for 2009. At the same time, the regular Flying Spur received sound insulation, retuned suspension and steering, and minor styling updates. The Naim audio system and a vastly improved iPod interface were also added.