[News] New 4-door Bentley Continental
And some info:
Bentley has unveiled a new saloon, reviving a classic name from its history, badging it Continental Flying Spur. The all-new four-door Grand Tourer joins the Continental GT coupe and Arnage limousine in the Bentley range. A fourth model, a cabriolet based on the Arnage is anticipated to complete the Bentley range in 2006.
Pricing for the flying Spur is expected to be similar to that of the Pounds112,750 Continental GT coupe that it shares much of its technology with. Most obvious is the sharing of the 6.0-litre, twin turbocharged, 12-cylinder engine which develops 552bhp, which gives the Flying Spur the ability to exceed 190mph. Unsurprisingly with all that power the Continental Flying Spur gets a version of the four-wheel-drive transmission of its GT coupe relative, too.
Design
Elegant and understated style was the aim of the design team and first impressions suggest they've been successful. The quad headlamp arrangement and bold grille of the Flying Spur are an unmistakable contemporary Bentley trademark, the rest of the car exhibiting stylish, yet muscular restraint. Bentley's head of design, Dirk van Braeckel said: "We were very conscious that the Continental Flying Spur had to make a sporting statement when people first saw it - after all it's a Bentley."
He adds: "From the beginning, Bentleys have been quite reserved when it comes to design. It has always been recognised that Bentleys are much less ostentatious than rivals of similar price. The new Bentley Continental Flying Spur embodies that Bentley ethos of understated elegance."
Inside
The interior is bedecked in the quality leathers and wood veneers that typify Bentley cabins, chrome bullseye ventilation outlets and organ stop controls ensuring the Flying Spur's cabin is familiar to existing Bentley owners. Customers will be offered the choice of either a four seat layout with a central console between two electrically operated rear seats, or a full-width rear seat.
Standard equipment levels are comprehensive, with four-zone climate control and an advanced infotainment system, Chairman Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen stating: "The Continental Flying Spur has all the technology our customers will want and need. 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."
Engine
In addition to the sumptuous luxury of the interior the Continental Flying Spur offers supercar levels of performance. The 6.0-litre, W12-cylinder engine produces its maximum torque from just 1,600rpm, ensuring effortless pace. That mighty powerplant enables it to despatch the 0-62mph dash in around five seconds and reach speeds exceeding 190mph - should your meeting be in Germany. Bentley doesn't quote a consumption figures yet, but except little more than 15mpg on a good day.
Four-wheel-drive ensures that all its power can be used, even in poor weather conditions, while air suspension allows you to adjust its levels on the move, from cosseting to sporting. Combined with a six-speed automatic transmission that can either be left in fully automatic mode, or manually controlled by the driver via paddle shifters located behind the steering wheel, the Flying Spur will be able to morph from refined limousine to sports saloon when the mood takes you.
