The Bentley Spur for me is a car that finally stands alone, from the rest of the Bentley collection. This classy looking large four-door saloon, valued at £178,050, is all about luxury comforts for both driver and passengers. I was driving a Light Onyx with piano black Beluga interior, so my passengers felt like royal officials or business clients who were not to be disturbed and only to be chauffeured around. The big difference here is that the new Flying Spur V8 S offers a more sport-focused interpretation. It made perfect sense on this occasion, to drive long distances around the UK at luxury locations to really test the driving experience. There are two engines to choose between: a V8 and a W12, I had the V8 delivered to me and the way Bentley delivers its fleet and press cars is an experience like no other.
Welcome To The Dark Knight
From the moment the Light Onyx came out of the truck, this Flying Spur, was given a new name, welcome to The Dark Knight. The Bentley Flying Spur V8 S is now available in an intriguing Black Edition. This saloon, had such a dark attitude about it. It was confirmed, every time I was driving or parking, the public stopped, stared and seemed very intrigued with its appearance.
This dark tint finish also extends to the rear bumper, light surrounds and door handle inserts. The intense look is completed by Beluga gloss door mirrors, black radiator matrix and window surrounds, along with a choice of striking red or black painted brake callipers.
I love feeling the Bentley. Photography Jimi Markham
Windsor Castle
It’s the year for Royal weddings and anything regal is trending both in lifestyle and on the catwalks. Over the years, the Queen has been known for being chauffeured in Bentleys on many occasions. Therefore it only made sense for me to visit Windsor Castle. I had to drive from West Sussex which took me over 2 hours.
This is where I fell in love with the Bentley Flying Spur. It’s so easy to drive, I could drive all over Britain, without feeling exhausted.
Back Seat Features
We departed for Windsor for 6am, with what seemed at first as disgruntled passengers but;
With heated seats and massage chair options, my passengers for the next two hours were wide awake but silent and that’s a first for my two children aged eight and ten. Their extra friends were well entertained with the radio option available at their little finger tips.
My passengers, sunk into the sumptuous straight-fluted seating that features a hand-stitched leather headliner and unique colour split that can be commissioned in duo tone combinations, mine was trending red. The space in the back is huge, my 8 year old daughter could actually stand in the back. As for leg space and comfort, it’s an indulgence of the finest leather seating money can buy and smell.
With what I could only describe as, double glazing windows with extra shutters, which allowed my passengers to be blackened out from the rest of the world. My passengers, at 6am felt they were in a luxury first class seats flying down the the A27 heading to what is commonly described as the biggest car park in the world, the M25. As we sat on the M25, I noticed glaring envious eyes looking at me. Probably because I was clapping and singing along to tunes, I love the Bentley’s Naim sound systems which is truly first class sound to my ears.
Stowe School And Blenheim Palace
I was situated in Oxfordshire for the next few days as I wanted to explore what Britain is famous for. Its large parks, palaces, English rose gardens and afternoon tea. Blenheim Palace is a monumental country house in Blenheim, Oxfordshire, England. It is the principal residence of the Dukes of Marlborough, and the only non-royal, non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace.
Driving into the Palace for me was the perfect place to showcase the Bentley Flying Spur. With its long grandeur roads leading up to the palace, I certainly felt every bit trending when it came to royal lifestyle. This is what I encourage anyone who is looking for a posh week or weekend getaway. Rent a Bentley, buy one if you have the budget and drive, eat, pray and love the United Kingdom for what is unique and famous for.
When it comes to luxury school drop off and pick up, this endless drive to Stowe School is brilliant. Stowe House is a grade I listed country house in Stowe, Buckinghamshire, England. It is the home of Stowe School, an independent school and is owned by the Stowe House Preservation. It has wonderful grounds and parks to explore here too.
When I pulled up at the gates, there was never an issue of asking for a private tour. Who would refuse a mum with her two children in the back, driving The Dark Knight, Bentley Flying Spur?
Fuel Delivery
I am always impressed with the driving range a Bentley offer. On this occasion 522 miles (840 km), thanks to the highly efficient engine that includes cylinder deactivation to save fuel, along with intelligent thermal management and electrical recuperation. I can confirm that I drove 500 miles on one tank which is 90 litres or 20 gallons.
Can you spot me flying in the background?
Car Tech and Torque
Bentley focused on three key areas when they created the sporting V8 S: the look, the engine and driveability. Looks can be deceptive here because I thought initially it was going to be slower in take off and overtaking as it’s kerb weight is 2425kg.
In Oxfordshire heading onto the M40, from a small village is actually very dangerous. The traffic is coming fast and on most occasions I had to come to a complete stop and wait before I could enter the motorway. I can wait for ages due to the heavy traffic. This is where I was going to test, the formidable 4.0 litre V8 S twin-turbocharged engine. Bentley now has tuned it, giving it higher levels of power [521 bhp/528 PS] and toque [680 Nm from 1,700 rpm] to give it a more sporting edge and a brilliant take off.
My only frustrations driving the Bentley, is that I can never experience it’s breath-taking top speed of 190 mph [306 km/h].
However the Flying Spur, for me is mainly for cruising around the UK and if working on wheels is what one requires then, this is the perfect luxury car for that.
Braking And Turning
Oxfordshire is known for its narrow and windy roads. On many occasion, I had to brake fast and hard due to other vehicles dominating the road. The Bentley is just fabulous when it comes to braking, as a mum you always want the best and safest possible driving experience that money can buy. Regarding the turning circle, the sharper steering and an improved power to weight ratio with such a large vehicle allowed me to turn at such narrow roundabouts without reversing. I also noticed other cars seemed very impressed too at my ease regarding turning circles. Regarding parking such a large vehicle, I found it very easy to park as well.
It also features the all-wheel drive system, with 40:60 front to rear torque split, which is found at the heart of some of the world’s fastest Bentley luxury vehicles.
Conclusion
There is no denying that driving any Bentley sets you apart from the masses of cars on the road. The driving experience is always wonderful and I never feel exhausted driving a Bentley. The Flying Spur upgrade makes this car stand alone regarding sporting power and performance. It’s a lifestyle car that can be best driven on open roads.
In the below video more tech talk about the V8 engine, suspicion and interior design.
Over the few days I had it, my passengers ranged from children, to men in their forties to a retired lady who worked for British Airways focusing on first class experiences. The world of Bentley is all that, driving first class all the way even, if it’s dropping by at Bicester Village.
