New Bentley Flying Spur revealed – S-class rival finally gets a new face
The Flying Spur got the performance hybrid powertrains in 2024 but not the new Bentley face. Now it does
The Bentley Flying Spur was significantly upgraded mechanically two years ago, alongside the latest Continental GTs. However the 771bhp (738lb ft) Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain (and eventually the 671bhp (664lb ft) High Performance Hybrid) and Active Chassis tech was not accompanied by a new face. Now it’s been updated again, with that nip and tuck they forgot a couple of years ago finally ticked off.
The new single-headlight and integrated grille design brings it in-line with the Continental GT range. This is also the first Bentley saloon to feature single front headlamps since 1962. What hasn’t changed much, unlike on the Continentals in 2024, is the rear lights. The new Spur’s are only subtly updated with revised ‘B’-shaped graphics within, which can be clear if you desire.
The boot lid is smoothed too with a softer line running across it. Very little, if anything, has changed inside. No bad thing, as the Spur’s cabin is beautifully put together, with high-quality materials and if you get in with the Mulliner team, it’s near-infinitely customisable. One new option comes from the coachbuilt, few-off Batur. It’s a £25,000 (excluding tax… yes really) sound system courtesy of Naim.
The powertrains and chassis carry over from the previous core and Speed models, with the two-chamber air suspension, twin-valve dampers and 48-volt dynamic ride anti-roll system. What is new is the Flying Spur S specification, which like on the Continental GT S, pairs the more focused dynamic parameters of the Speed model, including its electronic limited-slip diff, with the less powerful 671bhp High Performance Hybrid powertrain. The engine is still a 4-litre twin-turbo V8 paired with an in-transmission electric motor, powered by a 25.9kWh battery. That battery informs a claimed electric only range of around 50 miles.
The Flying Spur S sits on the sporty rather than stately side aesthetically, as is its remit. The Azure and Mulliner specs are the more luxury-leaning models. To the end of sportiness, the S gets black trim along the lower bumper, in the grilles and lights, a-la the full fat Speed. The tail lamps are tinted darker, as are the tail pipes for the sports exhaust.
The new Flying Spur can be configured now, with deliveries set to begin before the end of the year.
