Bentley unveils the Flying Spur V8

The Bentley Flying Spur - hailed as 'the best luxury sedan in the world' - is now available with Bentley's renowned and highly successful V8 powertrain, as an alternative to the iconic W12.

The Flying Spur V8 offers a more driver-centric experience with increased agility and a more characterful engine note, whilst benefiting from increased range between fuel stops and a reduction in CO₂ emissions.

The Flying Spur V8 is 100kg lighter than the W12 version, making the vehicle feel more agile and responsive with a distinctive personality of its own. The new model comes standard with the latest powertrain and chassis advancements, including Adaptive Air Suspension, Torque Vectoring by Brake, Drive Dynamics Control, and Electric Steering.

Furthermore, customers can add Bentley's pioneering 48V electric active anti-roll technology (Bentley Dynamic Ride), and Electronic All-Wheel Steering for even greater agility.

The Flying Spur V8 is available in both four-seat or five-seat configurations. It also has the industry-first Bentley Rotating Display that includes Apple CarPlay, photorealistic landscapes through satellite maps and advance warning of changing road or traffic conditions via the local hazard information service.

At the heart of the vehicle is Bentley's 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which produces 542bhp and 700Nm of torque. This torque figure is produced with twin scroll turbos, allowing the Flying Spur V8 to attain maximum torque at just under 2,000rpm, and is maintained as a flat plateau through to 4,500rpm.

All this prodigious power allows the Flying Spur V8 to accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 4.1 seconds and on to a top speed of 318km/h.

Still, the Flying Spur V8 has a environmentally conscious side to it. To maximise fuel economy, the engine can shut down four of its eight cylinders under light-load conditions. The change is imperceptible to the occupants - with deactivation times of around 20 milliseconds.

The Dynamic Ride system controls ride comfort and lateral roll, cushioning passengers from excessive movement through decoupling of the wheels across the axles, with the ability to then apply up to 1300Nm of anti-roll torque in 0.3 seconds when cornering to keep the body flat and stable.

The air suspension uses three-chamber air springs, which contain 60% more air volume compared to the previous generation Flying Spur. This allows more scope to vary from sporting levels of spring stiffness to luxury limousine ride comfort depending upon which mode the driver has selected.

The optional Electronic All-Wheel Steering is an all new technology feature introduced for the Flying Spur, which enhances both stability at highway speeds and manoeuvrability around town. During low-speed manoeuvres, the system steers the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front wheels.

This has the effect of shortening the wheelbase, reducing the turning circle, increasing agility and making parking noticeably easier.

During high-speed manoeuvres, the system steers the rear wheels in the same direction as the front wheels, increasing stability and making overtaking and lane-changes more assured. Electronic All-Wheel Steering means no compromise between high-speed confidence and low speed convenience.

The bold exterior design of the Flying Spur is based on a new and modern vision that is unmistakably Bentley. With a wheelbase lengthened by 130mm compared to the second generation model, the new Flying Spur now has an increased road presence and stronger, more muscular lines that sweep the full length of the car.