Bentley is at it again. The Flying Spur is a massive machine of exquisite extravagance, so hiding one in plain sight takes more than a few strategically placed tree limbs. The last time we saw a gigapixel image from Bentley, there was a beautiful panorama of the Golden Gate bridge with an extended wheelbase Mulsanne hiding in the middle. This time, you have to find a Flying Spur on the streets of Dubai, which is rather ironic considering Dubai is the one city in the world where such vehicles are fairly common.

This is a brilliant way to showcase a car, but don’t expect Motor1 landscape photos of fleet vehicles anytime soon. According to Bentley, capturing this photo was a labor-intensive process that involved suspending a camera 866 feet up Dubai’s Cayan Tower – one of the tallest buildings in the city. It took 48 hours and 1,825 frames to complete, with an additional 18 hours added in just for downloading.

Bentley Flying Spur gigapixel in Dubai
Bentley Flying Spur gigapixel in Dubai

The photo is comprised of 57.7 billion pixels, which is over 4 billion more than the Golden Gate shot. With that kind of resolution, you can go from Dubai’s full skyline to a crystal-clear shot of Bentley's crest on the Flying Spur’s hood. As with the Mulsanne photo, the pixels were stitched and light levels balanced to create the incredible detail up close.

Choosing Dubai for such an image is almost certainly no coincidence. The City of Gold is awash with supercars, hypercars, and no shortage of buyers willing to plunk down six-figure sums on a whim – sort-of like you might get after seeing a spectacular photo of your home city that cleverly contains a detailed 200 mile-per-hour W12 super-saloon, hidden in the middle of it all.

Well played on all accounts, Bentley.

Source: Bentley 

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Gallery: Bentley Flying Spur Gigapixel images

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THE EXTRAORDINARY IN EXQUISITE DETAIL: BENTLEY'S INCREDIBLE NEW GIGAPIXEL IMAGE

  • Bentley unveils one of the world’s most detailed landscape images
  • Gigapixel image reveals Bentley Flying Spur W12 S in heart of Dubai
  • NASA-derived technology helps create the 57.7 billion-pixel image
  • Curvature of the earth visible in this incredibly detailed photograph
  • 360-degree inside-and-out film narrated by Head of Exterior Design, John Paul Gregory
  • Explore more at Explore.bentleymotors.com

(Crewe, 23 March 2017) Bentley Motors today unveils its ground-breaking new Gigapixel photograph – one of the world’s most detailed landscape images.

At the heart of the photograph sits a Bentley Flying Spur W12 S in the luxury marina of Dubai – the world’s fastest-growing city. Zoom out, and the groundbreaking NASA-derived technology of the Gigapixel image allows you to explore and experience the city panorama in intricate detail, while beyond it the curvature of the earth is visible.

Zoom in and the image will take you in sharp focus, through the landscape, right up to the instantly recognisable bonnet badge of the Flying Spur. The extraordinary new Gigapixel image is testament to Bentley’s renowned attention to detail.  

With the new Gigapixel image, viewers can also explore the Flying Spur W12 S  inside and out with a 360-degree film narrated by John Paul Gregory, Bentley’s Head of Exterior Design. Gregory talks to the audience from inside the car; the stunning Bentley Suite in the The St. Regis Dubai; and the new flagship Bentley retailer on the famous Sheikh Zayed road.

The stunning photograph rewards the discerning eye with an intense exploration both of Dubai and Bentley.

 

Every Picture Tells a Story – Extraordinary Craftsmanship

The same attention to detail that is applied to the 130 man-hours it takes to build each Flying Spur went into creating the extraordinary Gigapixel image.

Bentley suspended a camera 264 metres up the Cayan Tower – one of Dubai’s tallest buildings – to capture what is the world’s most detailed landscape image. The innovative technology used had to withstand 40-degree heat that created a haze and 25 km/h winds that threatened to disrupt stability.

An incredible 57.7 billion pixels were carefully stitched together to create a single image that also balanced light levels painstakingly across each pixel. The intricate process took 48 hours and 1,825 frames to create. Downloading the image took a further 18 hours.

 

Unrivalled Attention to Detail – the Flying Spur W12 S

At the heart of the unique Gigapixel photograph sits the Bentley Flying Spur W12 S. Like the image that surrounds it, the flagship of the Flying Spur range is full of extraordinary attention to the most intricate detail and hidden delights.

The Flying Spur W12 S features enhanced power and torque outputs from the mighty 6.0-litre, twin-turbo W12 engine. Through precise calibration and tuning, engine power is increased from 625 PS to 635 PS (626 bhp) and torque from 800 Nm to 820 Nm (605 lb. ft.) for a dynamic and effortless drive.

This increase in power means that the Flying Spur W12 S achieves a top speed of 325 km/h (202 mph) – the first four-door Bentley to exceed the 200 mph performance barrier.

Complementing these power upgrades, a new responsive suspension tune for the Flying Spur W12 S improves handling and provides even more traction, while retaining a refined ride.

Bentley’s design team has created an athletic character that combines traditional Bentley styling cues with a sporting stance. Sharp feature lines complement muscular rear haunches, while LED daytime running lights, subtle blackware elements and a choice of stylish alloy wheels afford the Flying Spur W12 S a modern, contemporary feel.

From new gloss-black detailing on the bodywork, to the unique leather stitching, the new exterior and interior styling reflects the more assertive, darker character of the Flying Spur W12 S.