Bentley Flying Spur Speed (2009): the first photos

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

09 June 2008 10:12

Bentley subtly revised the lynchpin of its range, the Continental GT, in autumn 2007 – and now it’s applying similar revisions to its saloon sibling, the Flying Spur.

The four-door Continental is now available in two models: the basic Flying Spur and the new, high-performance Flying Spur Speed, which packs a 600bhp version of the idiosyncratic W12. That’s enough punch to make the Speed Bentley’s fastest saloon ever.

Similar yes, but pay attention at the back. The grille is more upright, the headlamp bezels are now chromed and the air intakes are reprofiled, too (the Speed model guzzles 14 percent more air, don’t you know). At the back you’ll find a new rear bumper, with brightwork built into the lights and a black valance. We’ll forgive you if you don’t notice a new one drive past…

Buyers wanting to stand out more can order one of four new duo-tone exterior paint combinations, and you can now spec leather piping inside for the first time on a Flying Spur.

Evolution is the name of the game here, old boy. Both models continue with the same twin-turbo 6.0-litre W12, mated to the six-speed ZF automatic transmission; it has been upgraded to cope with the Speed’s extra torque.

The Speed model will be fast, Bentley claiming a 200mph top speed and 4.5sec sprint to 60mph, but you can expect all Flying Spurs to drive more smoothly, thanks to myriad detail changes to the mechanical package.

Click ‘Next’ to find out more about the 2009 Bentley Flying Spur

By Tim Pollard