While Bentley is slowly teasing the 2020 Flying Spur, leading up to its reveal June 11, Autocar earned an exclusive first ride in the luxury land yacht. The story is filled with tons of insights into the new car. However, there’s a tiny nugget in Autocar’s story that piqued our interest—an engineer said some Flying Spur prototypes were exceeding 225 miles per hour during testing at Nardò. That’s far above the likely claimed top speed of around 200 mph.
A look at Bentley's other 2020 Flying Spur teasers:
Now, there are certain traits one expects from a name like Bentley - opulence, luxury, and performance. We know the Flying Spur will use the Continental GT’s 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12 that produces 625 bhp and 664 pound-feet of torque. That’ll be the engine the 2020 Flying Spur launches with. There will be the smaller 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that will likely produce 542 bhp and 568 lb-ft of torque. Also expected is a 2.9-litre V6 plug-in hybrid.
Gallery: 2020 Bentley Flying Spur teasers
But that’s not all the Bentley news. The British automaker released a new teaser for the Flying Spur, which reveals the saloon will feature all-wheel steering. All-wheel steering is capable of steering the rear wheels in the same direction as the front during high-speed manoeuvres.
The Flying Spur spied on several occasions:
That works in tandem with the all-wheel-drive system, which, for the first time, according to Bentley, can power just the rear wheels in normal driving conditions. When the system detects tyre slip, it can instantly send power to the front wheels. Also new is Bentley Dynamic Ride that changes suspension stiffness to minimise body roll. All three systems are designed to provide better traction and handling.
Bentley, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, will reveal the 2020 Flying Spur June 11 at 6:00 a.m. EST (11:00 BST).
Gallery: Bentley Flying Spur PHEV spy photos
THE ALL-NEW FLYING SPUR: THE DYNAMIC GRAND TOURING SEDAN
- Sports sedan and luxury limousine meet in all-new Flying Spur
- All-Wheel Drive, Bentley Dynamic Ride and now All-Wheel Steering bring unparalleled agility for the segment
- Global reveal to take place at 11:00BST on Tuesday, June 11
- To view the high speed test, visit: https://youtu.be/FfIYowdzpbc
In the year Bentley Motors celebrates its 100th anniversary, the British creator of extraordinary Grand Touring cars is promising to once again set new standards of both driving enjoyment and luxury when it reveals the all-new, third generation Flying Spur Grand Touring Sedan at 11:00BST on Tuesday, June 11.
This will be the very first Bentley to feature All-Wheel Steering enhancing both stability at cruising speeds and agility around town. During high-speed manoeuvres, the electronic system steers the rear wheels in the same direction as the front wheels, making overtaking and lane-changes more assured. All-Wheel Steering also means no compromise between high speed confidence and low speed convenience.
Like every Flying Spur of recent times, the third incarnation features All-Wheel Drive for optimum traction. For the first time, drive is supplied only to the rear wheels in standard road conditions giving classic sports sedan handling characteristics. If any slip is detected, the system can instantly send drive to the front wheels providing active All-Wheel Drive, fully automatically.
Bentley Dynamic Ride is designed to further improve both handling and ride comfort. New to the Flying Spur, the innovative system changes suspension stiffness on demand to combat cornering forces and minimise body roll that might otherwise disturb occupants.
Like the recently launched Continental GT, the all-new Flying Spur is a ground up development that pushes the boundaries of both technology and craftsmanship to deliver segment-defining levels of performance and refinement. Owing only its historic name to the preceding model, the four-door sedan will deliver an unparalleled touring experience for the driver and passengers alike. Quite simply, the world’s leading luxury automotive company is intending to create the world’s best luxury Grand Touring sedan when the all-new Flying Spur is revealed in just a few weeks’ time.
Bentley customers and enthusiasts can visit www.NewFlyingSpur.com to register their interest and to stay informed.