2020 Bentley Flying Spur Review

　　

2020 Bentley Flying Spur Review

byCameron RogersManager, News

　　Cameron Rogers has worked in the automotive industry since 2013. He has tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Today, he leads the news team in developing cutting-edge news articles, opinion pieces and sneak peeks at upcoming vehicles. Favorite cars that he's driven during his tenure at zzdcar include the 991-era Porsche 911 Turbo S, Rolls-Royce Ghost and several generations of Honda Odyssey (really).

　　The 2020 Bentley Flying Spur represents the beginning of the third Flying Spur generation and a full ground-up redesign of Bentley's sport-oriented big sedan. The Flying Spur is essentially a four-door version of the recently redesigned Continental GT. As such, it has many of the same improvements, including a new interior and more power from its turbocharged 12-cylinder engine.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 Bentley Flying Spur W12 4dr Sedan AWD (6.0L 12cyl Turbo 8AM) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$312/mo  for Flying Spur W12

　　Flying Spur W12

　　W12 4dr Sedan AWD (6.0L 12cyl Turbo 8AM) (Most Popular) - $214,600 MSRP

　　vs

　　$197/mo

　　Avg. Large Car

　　That engine now makes 626 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque — an increase of 59 lb-ft over the previous range-topping W12 S model — and is connected to a new eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Bentley says this new powertrain is good for a 3.7-second sprint to 60 mph, which is about half a second quicker than the previous generation car. The Flying Spur also has a variety of body, steering and suspension changes that Bentley says make the sedan feel sportier and more engaging to drive.

　　Not into sporting potential? Maybe you'll be more impressed by Bentley's improvements to the cabin. All outboard seats are equipped with heated, ventilated and massaging functions, and a removable center tablet gives passengers control over climate, power window blinds and configurable ambient lighting. There's more legroom all around, too.

　　Up front is a new 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system that's similar to what you'll find in the latest Audis (Bentley is owned by Volkswagen, which also owns Audi). One neat party trick is the rotating display option. It lets you rotate the screen on a horizontal axis to reveal a panel with three inset analog dials. Or you can select the third fascia, which simply consists of the wood veneer used throughout the rest of the cabin.

　　Overall, we're impressed with the Flying Spur's performance and its regal cabin. You certainly won't go wrong with any ultra-luxury sedan — assuming you have the budget for one — but we can see how the Flying Spur's fresh redesign could give it the edge over the Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II and Mercedes-Benz Maybach.

　　

Which Flying Spur does zzdcar recommend?

Since the Bentley Flying Spur is all about customization, there's no real right or wrong way to spec it. However, we think a few options are worth the price. The rotating central display is a truly impressive piece of precision-engineered tech. Adaptive cruise control is a must if you anticipate driving your Bentley on traffic-soaked highways.

　　

2020 Bentley Flying Spur models

The 2020 Bentley Flying Spur serves as Bentley's preeminent luxury sedan (in addition to the Mulsanne, which is riding out to the sunset after 2020). Think of it as a four-door version of the Bentley Continental GT coupe. Unlike the Continental GT, however, the Flying Spur only has one powertrain option: a turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 (626 hp, 664 lb-ft of torque) paired to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The Flying Spur comes in a single, well-equipped trim, though the options list has a considerable number of extras.

　　Standard features include:

　　21-inch wheels Air suspension Active stabilizer bars Rear-wheel steering Retractable Bentley hood ornament Heated and ventilated front and outboard rear seats with massage 12.3-inch touchscreen Apple CarPlay 10-speaker audio system Onboard Wi-Fi hotspot Advanced safety features include:

　　Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line onto the windshield) Blind-spot monitor (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane is in your blind spot) Lane departure mitigation (warns you of a lane departure when a turn signal isn't used and can automatically steer to maintain lane position) Front and rear parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible behind or in front of the vehicle when parking) 360-degree camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Flying Spur and its surroundings for tight parking situations) Automated parking system (steers into a parking spot with no driver intervention) Night-vision function The Flying Spur offers a number of additional options, such as:

　　Illuminated hood ornament Panoramic sunroof Heated steering wheel Rotating central display (rotates to show the touchscreen, analog gauges or a trim veneer) Lambswool carpets Configurable ambient lighting Wireless charging pad 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system 19-speaker Naim audio system Rear-seat entertainment system Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Bentley and the car in front) As with all Bentleys, the Flying Spur can be tailored to fit the buyer's desires. Available customizations include:

　　Knurled vent and button surrounds Numerous wood veneer choices Steering wheel with perforated leather Contrasting stitching and seat piping Personalized kick plates Some features, such as a leather headliner and 22-inch wheels, can only be ordered as part of the Mulliner Driving Specification personalization package. Also of note is the First Edition model, which bundles several of the above features and customization options, plus unique First Edition badges.

　　

2020 Flying Spur Highlights

　　

Base MSRP	$214,600
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	15 MPG
Cost to Drive	$312/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	14.8 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / unlimited miles