The “world’s best luxury four door grand tourer” is being made available with a V8 powertrain, as an alternative to the W12 it was launched with last summer.
Bentley says its research from the last ten years shows a significant shift in the usage of the Flying Spur from chauffeur-driven owners to customers driving themselves with passengers accompanying them.
Global research, which has included input from two customer clinics held in America and China, also demonstrated that over 40 per cent of customers travel with rear seat passengers at least once a week.
“This data has been used to develop the latest iteration of the new four door grand tourer, focusing on the driver experience whilst retaining a cabin space that combines exquisite luxury with integrated latest-generation technology,” says Bentley.
The new Flying Spur V8 therefore weighs 100 kg lighter than the W12 version, while its 4.0-litre, twin turbocharged V8 engine produces a peak power of 542 bhp and uses twin-scroll turbos to reach its maximum torque of 568 lb-ft at just under 2000 rpm.
As a result, it manages 0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds before hitting a top speed of 198 mph, which is near enough identical to the range-topping W12.
Standard exterior features, meanwhile, include a 20-inch, 10-spoke painted alloy wheels, a V8 wing badge, and quad exhaust pipes at the rear.
On the inside, the model can be specified in both four-seat or five-seat configurations.
