2021 Bentley Flying Spur V8 review

Bentley’s V8-powered Flying Spur is here, said to be a more dynamic offering than the W12. But when loaded with options, it’s no less expensive. So a proper Bentley then? 

It’s now part of the Bentley playbook that a new model is introduced with the big W12 engine, and then a V8-powered version turns up a little later. It’s the Flying Spur’s time to lose a quartet of cylinders, and a few kilos in the process, Bentley reckoning the bent eight model is 100kg lighter than the W12. And that loss is in the right place, the reduction helping it turn better, with the front axle relieved of the W12’s weighty burden. As such, the V8-powered models are touted as being more driver-focused, for the Bentley crew that like to swing a few bends as well as blast the straights. 

Do you miss out on much by opting for the V8? Well, yes and no. 

The 770Nm twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 can’t summon the same massive urge as the W12 (900Nm at just 1500rpm), so doesn’t smash you into the seat as hard, or suck the horizon in as quickly. And that bottomless pit of pull that sees the W12 roll on in-gear so effortlessly is diminished too. But the V8 is no sloth. The eight works a bit harder, and sounds thoroughly decent while doing so. That it rumbles to 100km/h in 4.2 seconds makes it fast enough too, though it’s not electric quick. The way the dual-clutch trans allows 4000rpm to be spun up before it engages and sends the Spur on its way is a sensation the EVs can’t replicate; the rear squatting, the tyres rotating as the bum squirms just adds to the drama of a big limo being hooned. And yet the numbers can’t compete with the e-tron GT, or Taycan for straight line prowess. The Flying Spur though is bigger, with more dignified rear quarters, and oodles of opulence.

This particular Spur was dripping with options, ballooning the entry price from $415k (yikes) to $630K. Golly gee; is it possible to add $215k of geegaws? Well yes it is, actually. There’s special paint ($12k) and the Mulliner Driving Specification (lots of ornate leather work and added bling) while the unique veneers and yet more leather craftsmanship are done by Bentley’s Mulliner bespoking division away from the main production line. The colour combo a Crusader’s fan would describe as winning, while we like the blackout treatment (an option of course). The body kit is fashioned from carbon fibre and details like the winged B among the fibres and lacquered over to form a smooth finish might be lost on some, but discerning owners will appreciate it, and understand the cost involved. The three-dimensional leather door panels, part of the hideously expensive Mulliner Driving Specification ($36,000), are one of the many interior aspects to marvel at. A veritable vegan nightmare, many fine bovine hides have been used here. Leather covers just about everything, double stitched and layered perfectly, with minimal bunching on the tricky curves of the dash. The suppleness of the seats in their diamond quilted grandness all adds to the experience and goes some way to justify the immense ticket price. That the Spur is really only fit for four people, or that the boot really isn’t that useful are by the by. Because it’s a well proportioned brute, speedy looking, with massive presence. Very Bentley then. 

This big beauty sure does gallop cross country too. Big and heavy it may be, but just how easily you can thread this through corners belies its stature.  

A tad less weight over the front axle helps, as does the rear doing some of the steering. Active roll control is a boon also, part of the optional dynamics pack (which includes the RWS). Of the drive modes, B (for Bentley a.k.a an adaptive setting) is right on for relaxed but still rather rapid progress, the air springs soaking up the bumps while the roll control keeps it flying flat. The steering is just so; well assisted with the right kind of interplay when trying it on in a sharp bend. If you are intent on smacking it around, best select Sport and the dampers and transmission will know exactly how you want it; hard and fast. But the ride never gets uncouth; it’s just more controlled, and only the big bumps are noticed. This resists understeer nicely, the brakes helping via a torque vectoring function. However, with all that fast-moving weight, the TV function starts to tell on them as the pedal action gets longer.

Mooching around the city, you always leave the drive mode in B, where the ride is sorted but not gooey. If you like the waft, slip it into Comfort. While a twin-clutch transmission isn’t renowned for its slushy refinement, this one is. It’s smooth on take-up and through the gears, its creep function and hill start action top notch too. The Spur is quiet on the move, though you can hear the eight rumbling away in an appropriate manner. This Bentley four-door is long and wide but then parking at mundane places like the supermarket probably doesn’t factor into a Bentley owner’s day-to-day routine. The rear-wheel steer trims the turning circle a tad but it’s still wide. You have to tick yet another option box to gain active cruise and the like, while some of the interior controls (like the cruise wand) already feel a little dated. The screens are okay, the infotainment mastered with a mix of buttons and pawing away at the screen.

The rear is a place to really stretch out, the seat multiway adjustable, your head nestled into the goose down pillow. There’s a touchscreen to control some of the interior functions, and you get your own sunroof and powered blinds to block the gaze of the rabble outside. 

The Flying Spur is ultra exclusive, a rare sight on the road as most Bentley buyers gravitate to the Bentayga. Like most sedans in this part of the world,  it has become a bit of showroom wallflower. A pity really, because this feels more like how a Bentley should; fast, dynamic with real luxurious presence, rather than just another blingy SUV.