Bentley has released a V8 version of the new Flying Spur, the company’s most fancy saloon now that the Mulsanne has been binned off. The V8 is powered by an eight-cylinder 4.0-litre engine with two turbos, producing 542bhp and 770Nm torque.
That’s in contrast to the 626bhp and 900Nm of the V12 model, which gets the Flying Spur, erm, flying to 62mph in just 3.7 seconds and on to 207mph. The new V8 one takes a languid 4.1 seconds to hit the benchmark and runs out of puff at a shamefully low 198mph. Still, it uses less fuel at least, with a reported 15-20% reduction in CO2 emissions and a similar improvement in fuel consumption. Bank on around 280g/km and 22mpg.
Losing four cylinders helps make the Flying Spur V8 lighter than the V12 version to the tune of 100Kg, and the four-door saloon is very nearly as quick to 62mph as the two-door Continental GT V8 coupe, which takes four seconds flat to get there.
According to Bentley, this is the version that you buy if you’re after a “more driver-centric experience via increased agility and a more characterful engine note,” but that it also “benefits from increased range between fuel stops” as compared to the V12. Win-win. It’ll also be cheaper than the £170,000 starting price of the V12, although to what extent we’re not sure because Bentley hasn’t said how much it costs yet. Bank on £150,000 at least.
One of the things the V8 will do to save fuel is shut down four of its cylinders when the engine is under light load – cruising at 65mph on the motorway, say – and it does so “imperceptibly to its occupants” according to the company. In fact it takes just 20 milliseconds to happen. That’s one tenth of the blink of an eye, we’re told.
But the V8 isn’t just about being a bit cheaper to run than the V12. It’s not about that at all, in fact. Rather, it has a distinct character aimed at those owners who actually like to drive their Flying Spur, as opposed to being driven in it. According to Bentley, its research suggests there’s been a decline in back seat usage with these things, and so the V8 has “a distinct personality of its own.”
It’s equipped with a whole suite of drivetrain tricks to help it corner with more enthusiasm than a fella this big really show, including adaptive air suspension, torque vectoring, all-wheel steering and, optionally, an electronically operated active anti-roll system. The advantage of that is it can alter its behaviour depending on driving style, meaning a sharper cornering response in sport mode, but wallowy comfort ordinarily.
Despite that it’s still available with a four-seat configuration that replaces the rear bench for two individual seats, like the fancy ones on a plane, and the cabin is as sumptuous as you’d expect. So, instead of using the obligatory quote from someone at Bentley at this stage, who’ll use a lot of words to basically say “this car is good,” here’s what the company itself has to say about just how luxurious the Flying Spur V8 is:
“The interior of the all-new Flying Spur V8 showcases Bentley’s expertise in creating a modern cabin of unrivalled luxury and innovation. Stylish and unique, it features supremely comfortable seats in five hide colours, with Bentley’s ‘Wing’ theme across the lower console and fascia. For additional choice, the Colour Specification option adds 10 further hide colours and two duo-tone interior configurations.
“Sweeping horizontal veneer flows across the dashboard and into the doors, emphasising the spacious width of the cabin. Crown Cut Walnut is offered as standard, which uses a straight cut process to provide a contemporary finish. There are a further seven veneer species to choose from, plus a High Gloss Carbon Fibre technical finish. Dual veneer finish can also be specified in all veneer types to add an even more bespoke feel to the cabin with Côtes de Genève specifically available for the front centre console.”
Nope, us neither, but apparently Côtes de Genève is a type of three-dimensional machined aluminium finish that’s inspired by fancy watches. So there you go. The new Flying Spur V8 goes on sale very shortly, first ones hitting the road January 2021.
Keyword: Bentley introduces ‘low power’ V8 version of Flying Spur