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| The Bentley Continental Flying Spur |
A little over two years ago Bentley
Motors stunned the world by unveiling a Grand Tourer masterpiece, the
Continental GT coupé. Now, only 12 months after the first deliveries of
that extraordinarily successful car, Bentley proudly announces the
arrival of the fastest four-door in the company’s history; a car that
shares the heart and soul of the 198mph coupé from which it is born –
the Continental Flying Spur.
The Continental Flying Spur combines exquisite design and peerless
craftsmanship, for which Bentley is renowned, with the dynamics and
power of the Continental GT to provide an unparalleled motoring
experience to attract a new breed of discerning customers to the marque.
Throughout their history, Bentleys have offered a blend of luxury and
potent performance. The ability to undertake long journeys in great
comfort has been the hallmark of every Bentley, and never was that
better demonstrated than in the iconic R-Type Continental from 1952 and
its four-door descendant, the Continental Flying Spur.
 Bred from the fastest
four-seat coupé of its time, the original 1957 Continental Flying Spur
was hailed as one of the most elegant and yet powerful saloons ever
created. The new Continental Flying Spur continues that Bentley
bloodline of sporting Grand Tourers. Similarly inspired by the most
desirable coupé of its day, it delivers awesome performance as well as
extraordinary comfort and elegance.
Like the original Flying Spur, the new Bentley is also purposely
positioned as a premium product above a crowded market. When asking our
future customers about their needs they were very clear – performance
and luxury, style and practicality, inspiration and solidity, excitement
and safety. The Continental Flying Spur is Bentley’s response to its ‘no
compromise’ attitude, and its desire to further the Bentley story.
Styling and Design
When work began on the Continental GT coupé in 1999, a simultaneous
programme was instigated for a four-door version that would mirror the
performance and design qualities of the coupé and also provide
unparalleled levels of space and comfort in a way that only a Bentley
can. The results of that forward-thinking approach are now clear as the
Continental Flying Spur is unveiled for the first time.
Sumptuous levels of space and comfort are a given in the Continental
Flying Spur. The quality of the overall design and cabin interior is
simply without rival and only another Bentley can match the
craftsmanship that has gone into making this elegant and opulent
four-door Grand Tourer.
These clear and simple targets were laid down to Bentley’s head of
design, Dirk van Braeckel, when the project began, and he made sure that
they were not forgotten as the car’s form began to take shape.
“We were very conscious that the Continental Flying Spur had to make a
sporting statement when people first saw it – after all it is a
Bentley,” says van Braeckel. “That’s actually more challenging with a
four-door than a coupé, which will always look ‘fast’, so we spent a
long time working on an appearance of potency while still retaining the
presence and stature that customers expect from our cars.”
A sporting statement, however, was not the sole target for the car’s
design. It also needed to reflect Bentley’s evolving modern image,
retaining the understated but bold feel that its design team believes
has carried Bentley forward throughout its history.
“From the very beginning, Bentleys have been quite reserved when it
comes to design,” says van Braeckel. “It has always been recognised that
Bentleys are much less ostentatious than rival cars of a similar price.
The new Continental Flying Spur embodies that Bentley ethos of
understated elegance.”
The Continental Flying Spur consequently shares the clean and muscular
appearance of the Continental GT coupé with a short front overhang and
dominant matrix radiator grille. Inside the cabin, the car has a
similarly stunning appearance with a beautiful interior that will stand
as a benchmark thanks to its quality and craftsmanship.
The generous wheelbase of the Continental Flying Spur’s chassis means
spacious rear legroom for passengers and an impressive canvas on which
Bentley’s interior design team could set to work. Customers will have
the option of a four-seat layout with a central console between two
electrically-powered rear seats or a five-seat cabin with full-width
rear seat. Throughout the interior, familiar Bentley trademarks make
their presence felt with bullseye ventilation outlets and organ stop
controls in the front and rear. Leather or wood veneers on every
interior surface combine to give a traditional yet contemporary
environment for the driver and passengers alike.
Continental Flying Spur owners will want for nothing, whether behind the
wheel or enjoying the ride as a passenger. The car is equipped with the
latest cabin technology from its advanced infotainment system to its
four-zone climate control. Chairman Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen was
determined that buyers of this new Bentley would immediately appreciate
the generous standard specification.
“The Continental Flying Spur has all the technology and equipment that
our customers want and need,” he says. “They will not have to trawl
through an options list for hours with their dealer because everything
is included. What they will enjoy, however, is the experience of
tailoring the car to their taste and style.
“As well as delivering excellent performance and dynamic handling, the
Continental Flying Spur offers elegant styling and craftsmanship with
its beautiful wood and leather cabin, delighting customers as only a
Bentley can.”
Engineering and Driving Dynamics
With 552bhp at your disposal and an advanced all-wheel drive system to
ensure that power is delivered in a controlled and measured fashion, the
Continental Flying Spur has the performance to match its appearance.
As with every Bentley, this is a driver’s car first and foremost. In
common with the Continental GT coupé, the car’s extremely stiff steel
chassis allows the advanced air suspension system to regulate safely the
handling and balance of a four-door with supercar performance: a top
speed in excess of 190mph and 0-62mph (100km/h) in around five seconds.
However, such is the breadth of its dynamic capability, the Continental
Flying Spur also delivers supreme comfort for long, relaxed journeys.
“Over the course of its development the car was subjected to a rigorous
drive programme that saw it complete nearly a million miles on proving
grounds, test tracks and roads across the world,” reveals Dr Ulrich
Eichhorn, member of the board, engineering. “The result is a car whose
breadth and capability, in any weather, on any road surface, is simply
awesome.”
Bentley’s renowned powertrain development was rightly praised at the
launch of the Continental GT coupé and the combination of that
phenomenal twin-turbocharged, 12-cylinder engine with a smooth,
six-speed ‘paddleshift’ ZF gearbox with Tiptronic actuation is carried
over into the Continental Flying Spur.
A Bentley engine is unlike any other in the world and the Continental
Flying Spur’s is no exception. Maximum torque is available from just
1600rpm and continues unabated throughout the powerband, meaning the
driver can call upon exceptional reserves of power in an instant.
The Continental Flying Spur's permanent all-wheel drive system ensures
that even in poor weather and road conditions, the awesome power and
torque remain accessible to the driver without the constant intervention
of the traction control system.
The advanced six-speed transmission allows the driver to use the gearbox
as a conventional automatic or opt to change gears ‘manually’ using
either the gearlever or the paddles mounted behind the wheel. Whatever
mode the gearbox is set to, the powertrain operates with seamless
efficiency and provides brilliant shift quality. In its four-door
application it has also been extensively recalibrated to provide almost
imperceptible shifts when being used in a more relaxed fashion.
The Bentley Model Range
The Continental Flying Spur perfectly complements the existing range of
Bentley models. The Continental GT continues to fulfil Bentley’s
customers’ desire for a dynamic coupé that offers the very essence of
Bentley: sporting prowess and Grand Touring performance. Similarly the
Arnage range represents a unique proposition: the emotional purchase of
a truly bespoke, hand-built and entirely individual limousine. The
Continental Flying Spur will appeal to customers seeking a sumptuous
four-door Grand Tourer sharing all the virtues of its coupé stablemate:
high-performance, timeless design and superb craftsmanship.
Bentley chairman Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen says the distinction between the
new Continental Flying Spur and the Bentley Arnage range is simple:
“As Continental Flying Spur production begins, the Arnage will retain
its true position as the most exclusive limousine in the world. If you
work in a major capital city you might see a Continental Flying Spur a
few times a month, but you will only come across an Arnage a few times a
year. The Arnage will continue to be a bespoke car with real
exclusivity.
“With the Continental Flying Spur we are opening our doors to new
customers who value that unique combination of luxury, style, excitement
and practicality. Nowhere else will they be able to enjoy a car that
possesses all this as well as the dynamic qualities and power of the
Continental GT coupé.
The Continental Flying Spur promises a new
motoring experience and we look forward to welcoming a new breed of
discerning customers to our marque.”
• An all-new four-door Grand Tourer that blends peerless Bentley
craftsmanship and design with modern technologies.
• Exhilarating supercar performance thanks to a top speed in excess of
190mph and • 0-62mph (100km/h) time of around five seconds.
• Powered by a 6-litre, twin-turbocharged, 12-cylinder engine engineered
and built at Bentley’s factory in Crewe. Tuned to provide not just a
massive 552bhp but also the legendary Bentley ‘torque’ from low revs.
• A high-tech, all-wheel-drive system for exceptional stability and grip
in any conditions.
• A stunning cabin that uses exquisite Bentley design and quality to
create a spacious, welcoming interior. A classic mix of leather and wood
veneers are combined to give a contemporary but timeless appearance.
• Over 11 leather hides are used to make a complete set of upholstery in
the Continental Flying Spur.
• Spacious rear legroom provides total comfort for all passengers with a
five or four-seat layout optional at the time of purchase.
• Designed and developed in parallel with the Continental GT coupé at
Bentley’s design studios and facilities in Crewe to ensure consistency
in their visual appearance and in their on-going engineering and
development programme.
• Pricing for the new Continental Flying Spur was yet to be finalised
when this feature was written but Bentley expects a similar price
structure to that of the Continental GT coupé.
• The new Bentley Continental Flying Spur will goes on sale in Spring
2005. |
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Broughtons of Cheltenham Broughtons of Surrey
Broughtons of Pangbourne
01242 515374
01932 359600
0118 9766363
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