2021 Bentley Flying Spur now available with a twin-turbo V8
If other Bentley models like the Continental GT are anything to go by, the eight-cylinder Flying Spur will be the one to get.
The new Flying Spur V8 looks just as good as the W12 version.
The Bentley Flying Spur is following in the footsteps of its two-door Continental GT sibling -- as well as previous Spur generations -- gaining a new V8 engine option that slots in below the existing W12 model. And if Bentley's other models are an indication of what the eight-cylinder Spur will be like, we think the V8 will be the engine to get.
The V8 will also be familiar to anyone who's driven a higher-end modern Porsche or Audi, as it's the same twin-turbo 4.0-liter unit found in many other Volkswagen Group products. In the Flying Spur it produces 542 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque, down from the W12 Spur's 626 hp and 664 lb-ft. The V8 features cylinder deactivation for better fuel economy, and like with the W12, all-wheel drive is standard.
Bentley says the V8 Flying Spur will hit 60 mph in 4 seconds and reach a top speed of 197 mph; 0.3 second and 10 mph slower than the W12 model respectively. But the V8 is more than 220 pounds lighter than the W12 and has better weight distribution, and it should be sharper and more fun to drive. Standard equipment includes air suspension and a torque vectoring system. Four-wheel steering and Bentley's 48-volt active anti-roll tech are among the driver-focused options.
You can get carbon-fiber interior trim now, because sportiness.
Visually distinguishing the V8 model are quad exhaust tips, standard 20-inch wheels and V8 badges on the front fenders. The Flying Spur in these photos is equipped with the Blackline package, which blacks out all of the exterior trim, as well as a Styling Specification pack that adds carbon-fiber splitters and side skirts. And because this is a Bentley, there are dozens of available paint and leather options as well as a number of interior trims, including a carbon-fiber finish.
What makes the V8 even more appealing is the price. The Flying Spur V8 will start at $198,725, including a $2,725 destination charge, which makes it $20,700 cheaper than the W12 model. Bentley says deliveries of the V8 will start later this year in Europe and the UK, with the US and other countries to follow in early 2021.
