Bentley Flying Spur 2019: the flagship gets a makeover

The Bentley Flying Spur 2019 is only a few days away from its official unveiling. The third generation of this ultra-luxury saloon will be a perfect example of the marriage between technology and craftsmanship.

2019 is a special year for Bentley Motors, as it celebrates a century of history, establishing itself as one of the most storied manufacturers of luxury cars in the automotive industry. The brand’s centenary is therefore the ideal moment to present the Bentley Flying Spur 2019.

Large luxury saloons have always been the speciality of the British marque from Crewe, thanks to masterpieces such as the Bentley Mark VI, the Bentley SIII Continental and the more recent Bentley Arnage. For this reason, when the British manufacturer launches a new model of this kind, it is expected to be a showcase of how such cars should be done. This is where the third generation of the Bentley Flying Spur comes into play, which will be presented on 11 June.

The Bentley Flying Spur 2019 will be completely new

The new generation of the brand’s flagship will use the MSB-F platform from the Volkswagen Group, the same one used by the Porsche Panamera. This means it will make significant progress in areas such as lightness and dynamism.

Four-wheel steering will be another feature that greatly enhances the handling of a car measuring almost 5.5 metres. During high-speed manoeuvres, the system steers the rear wheels in the same direction as the front wheels, so taking a bend will be much quicker and easier. At low speeds, the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to the front axle, which makes manoeuvring in tight spaces child’s play.

One element that continues the tradition set by the two previous generations of the Bentley Flying Spur is all-wheel drive. There is, however, a novelty in this respect: for the first time the car sends power only to the rear wheels under normal driving conditions, so if you tickle it the rear will show its character.

Do not think, though, that Bentley would let its car become a tyre-burning machine, since a proper lord never wears a tracksuit. For this reason, as soon as the car detects even slight slip at the rear axle, the drive system immediately redistributes power to the front wheels so that its new large saloon never loses its composure.

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There will be W12, V8 engines and, for the first time, plug-in hybrids

Speaking of power, under its bonnet lies the monstrous 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12 engine, capable of delivering 635 CV, with a brutal maximum torque of 900 Nm. This powerplant is the same one used in the Bentley Continental GT and allows it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 333 km/h.

This engine features a cylinder deactivation system that allows it to run on only half of its power, that is, as if it were a V6. Bentley will also offer more affordable V8 versions and, for the first time, a plug-in hybrid that will greatly improve the efficiency of the brand’s luxury saloon.

Bentley has worked on improving its dynamic behaviour

Another novelty of the new Bentley Flying Spur 2019 is the “Dynamic Ride” system, designed specifically to improve the driving experience and ride comfort. This system adjusts the stiffness of the suspension according to the conditions at each moment. In this way, the body roll that could cause champagne glasses to spill over the immaculate upholstery is avoided.

The new Bentley Flying Spur is meant to follow the perfect combination of technology and craftsmanship already demonstrated a few months ago by its smaller sibling, the Bentley Continental GT. The British manufacturer intends to present the reference model in the ultra-luxury saloon segment.

We have no doubt that Bentley’s experience in building the most refined cars, combined with the enormous range of possibilities afforded by being part of a giant like the Volkswagen Group, will make the resulting recipe a true benchmark.