The New Bentley Flying Spur Speed's Ridiculous Engine Could Convert Any Hybrid Skeptic

Bentley is bidding farewell to the W12 engine, though the new fourth-generation Flying Spur Speed makes a pretty convincing argument for why we shouldn't be so sad about that. Billed as the automaker's most powerful sedan ever, at first glance, the new four-door doesn't look especially changed from the outgoing car. Beyond the new 22-inch wheels and animated Bentley wings that project onto the ground when you open the doors, though, is a particularly entertaining application of electrification.

As with the recently-unveiled Continental GT Speed, the fourth-generation Flying Spur Speed embraces Bentley's new hybrid drivetrain. Compromising — for inevitable efficiency reasons impacting the whole auto industry — on cylinder count, it makes up for that with a judicious squirt of instant electric torque.

Bentley

While the old Flying Spur Hybrid made surreptitious wafting its primary goal, this new sedan in Speed form has no such restraint. In fact, Bentley is tempting fate (and undoubtedly track testing) by referring to the new Flying Spur Speed as its first four-door supercar.

While the demise of Bentley's near-legendary W12 engine may be a sad thing from an engineering perspective, those who put more value on what the powertrain delivers can't exactly be disappointed with the automaker's Ultra Performance Hybrid. Like the name suggests, it's electrification set the challenge of delivering maximum pace, with output numbers which readily best those of the beloved 12-cylinder predecessor.

Bentley starts with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, then pairs it with an electric motor integrated into the eight-speed dual clutch transmission. That means a bump in overall system torque — now up to 738 lb-ft, a 11% increase over the W12 — and 19% more power, rising to a heady 771 horsepower.

Bentley

With the electric motor helping ensure more torque at lower gas engine speeds than the W12 could manage (and it was hardly a laggard there anyway) — not to mention more comparative power output at every point of the rev curve — it leaves this new Flying Spur Speed capable of 0-60 mph in a mere 3.3 seconds.

At the same time, though, Bentley can turn its hybrid system to a far more frugal mode. Shutting off the V8 — either dynamically, according to driving needs, or intentionally with the pure EV mode — leaves the Flying Spur Speed with an electric 187 horsepower and 331 lb-ft of torque. The 25.9 kWh battery (up from the outgoing hybrid's 18.9 kWh) is good for up to 47 miles of EV-only driving, albeit measured on the WLTP cycle; the big sedan's U.S. EPA number is likely to be lower.

Nonetheless, it's a good way to pass time until Bentley's first all-electric model arrives. The hybrid Flying Spur can drive on EV power alone at speeds of up to 87 mph, though if you go faster — or push the accelerator more than 75% — it'll need the gas engine to weigh in. There's regenerative braking, as you'd expect, to convert slowing pace into battery power, but Bentley also has a charge mode that will use spare V8 power to top up the battery as well.

Bentley

The Flying Spur Speed will get Bentley Dynamic Ride and all-wheel steering as standard, plus an electronically-controlled limited slip differential. A center differential pushes power between the front and rear axles, and then there's brake-based torque vectoring to manage its distribution left to right. New twin-valve dampers independently control suspension rebound and compression for a plusher ride in Comfort mode, but without sacrificing poise and firmness in Sport.

There'll still be Bentley mode, of course: the automaker's pick of the settings to best suit the Flying Spur's personality. Similarly, there'll still be a huge emphasis placed on personalization and making each sedan unique. This new generation spreads the automaker's striking 3D diamond-patterned hide across more of the cabin, and updates the stitching options for the upholstery on the seats and other sections. However, customization really is the name of the game.

Bentley

From Bentley's own portfolio alone there are possibilities in the "tens of billions," according to the automaker, with 101 exterior colors, 22 primary and 11 second interior leather colors, eight wood veneers, and multiple technical finishes. Summon the bespoke talents of the Mulliner division, meanwhile, and effectively the only limit is imagination (and budget, of course).

A Naim 2,200 W audio system is on offer, along with the Wellness Seating Specification for all four seats. As we saw on the Bentayga Extended Wheelbase, that automatically adjusts seat temperature and position according to the occupant — on the Flying Spur Speed, it's spread to the front seats, too. The HVAC will automatically control air purification according to location — such as enabling recirculation in a tunnel — and there's now wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Pricing for the fourth-generation Flying Spur is yet to be confirmed, though the third-generation car starts at around $270,000 before options.