Bentley Continental Flying Spur 4dr Saloon review
Bentley Continental 6.0 W12 Flying Spur Road Test
Test date 16 August 2005
Price as tested £117,500
For Effortless pace and sybaritic luxury brilliantly combined
Against Awkward looks at the back, unsettled ride, awful fuel economy
It’s the start of just another working day as you pass through the stately front door of your manor and crunch the gravel under foot. In front of you sits your Flying Spur, and as you clasp the weighty key – thankfully now far removed from the VW item of the Continental GT - you can’t help but feel a twinge of pride and satisfaction: you bought that. You’ve come a long way, achieved much in your life. You’re a success. The S class Mercedes you owned before the Spur never made you feel like that, and certainly not the top-end BMW five series before that. There’re a hundred expensive Mercedes’ in this wealthy area, but only a few Bentleys.
If you understand only one thing about the Flying Spur, appreciate only one of its talents, it is this in-bred marque appeal and sense of gravitas that its rivals can only dream of. As we shall see, at times, that’s just as well.
The Flying Spur is part two of Volkswagens rebirth of the famous Crewe marque, and uses the same basic underpinnings as its more sporting, GT brother. That means the same air sprung suspension and weighty steel chassis also shared with the Phaeton; the unique twin turbo W12 powerhouse up front and the same basic wood and leather feast of an interior, but with two extra doors and a lot more room behind the front pair of seats.
If the first reaction you had on seeing your Flying Spur was pride, we’re inclined to believe your second look would be one of disappointment. It’s best when viewed either from the end of its bonnet or by approaching from the rear, when traditional Bentley styling cues such as the bold mesh grille and heavily tapered rear section create a fair amount of impact. Walk around to the side however, and the general proportions – short bonnet, high roof, gentley rounded corners - don’t support such extravagant detailing, and the bland, slab sides look particulary clumsy. A car such as this needs to make a confident statement, and in our experience the Flying Spur doesn’t.
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