Flying High

By Mark Andrews, 2014-01
It’s no accident that Bentley chose Beijing for the international media drive of their new Flying Spur. Greater China is now their number two market, and accounted for 45 per cent of sales of the first generation Flying Spur which, with the new model, they are hoping to increase to 60 per cent. 
 
Bentley is keen to point out that the latest Flying Spur is an all-new model, but with its evolutionary approach to design, it could well pass for a facelift of the previous generation. Going along with the dropping of the Continental name, the headlight arrangement is no longer the same as its GT sibling, and the outer lamps are now larger than the inner ones. There is a less boxy look than the old model with sculpted lines running the length of the car. Surprisingly, the car is a slippery beast with a drag coefficient of only 0.29. 
 
Moving onto the interior, everything except for the control dials and stalks are swathed in either luxurious leather or wood veneer. Everything screams quality right down to the Breitling clock – there are no hard plastics to complain about! Buyers have a choice of 12 leathers and two veneers to go with the 17 standard paint schemes. For a price, everything is negotiable and there are over a hundred extended paint colours! However, with this level of customisation, it would be good to have a key fob that is at least a little different, spare the badges, to that of the new Volkswagen Santana. 
 
 
As can be expected, pretty much everything is electric right down to the power open and close boot. As well as dropping the Continental name there is an emphasis on the passenger experience, as most owners are likely to be chauffeured. In the rear, there is now what Bentley call a Touch Screen Remote (TSR) which controls the front infotainment unit, rear seat heating and ventilation, climate, rear blind and gives vehicle data. Rear seats are electrically adjustable and have a comfortable massage function. There is an option for two ten-inch LCD screens mounted on the front seat backs along with Wi-Fi. The fold down rear armrest can house an optional champagne cooler and there is also a fixed rear central console four-seater option.
 
Put your foot down and the car is deceptively fast, and tops out at over 300km/h. The eight- speed ZF gearbox provides near imperceptible shifts, but select the sports mode and use the steering column mounted paddle shifts, and the car drops its cool demeanour with a hearty growl. Permanent, rear biased, all wheel drive ensures excellent road holding. The shear size of the car though means it is always most at home as a highway cruiser. 
 
 
Instrumentation, for the price, really should be better. The new BMW 3 Series has a head up display and yet the Bentley, a much faster car, makes do with a relatively low mounted sat nav and a small display sandwiched between the rev counter and speedometer. 
 
Only the keenest drivers will notice any real difference between the air suspension’s comfort and sport settings (largely tuned to the former). Bentley has also made considerable efforts to dampen noise, creating a cosseting environment. 
 
If this car were a person, it would be an English gentleman; it’s refined and whilst it’s a little staid on the surface, it has unbridled power underneath. Prices start at RMB 4,058,000.