Review Bentley Flying Spur V8 S 2017

In the rarified air above standard extravagance mark leaders from Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW exist the ultra-selective, hand-fabricated cars from Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, and Bentley, each offering 12-chamber control, the choicest material goods, and indubitable families. Given these autos' proud sticker prices, a typical individual may anticipate that them will outperform any off-the-rack Audi A8, S-class Benz, or 7-arrangement Bimmer in each regard. Or possibly generally regards. Or possibly as far as the extravagance highlights, isn't that so?



HIGHS

Amazingly snappy, verifiable nearness, top-flight materials, carefully assembled feel.

LOWS

Earth-smashing weight, pump-depleting thirst, dated inside.

Indeed, individuals who purchase vehicles like the sparkling gold 2017 Bentley Flying Spur V8 S tried here aren't ordinary. When they choose to purchase a Flying Spur, it's not to add another extravagance vehicle to their steady; it's to add a Bentley to their stable. They're most likely mindful that any of those hypercompetent Teutonic sleds offers more cutting edge luxo-wizardry than the Flying Spur, which doesn't accompany a USB port; in fact, they presumably have one of those German autos, as well. Also, few could ever get found goading a S63, M760i, or S8—every one of which can hit 60 mph in 3.8 seconds or less—into a stoplight duel, so where this present auto's execution numbers fall in respect to those might be irrelevant.

VIEW PHOTOS

What does make a difference is that the Flying Spur conveys on its guarantee as a Bentley with the float, the glow, and the famous beauty for which the brand's autos have been known for a considerable length of time. In light of the past age Continental GT, the Flying Spur car has demonstrated fulfilling in such manner since first showing up in 2005—and especially so since the second-gen display touched base for 2014 with a considerably prettier, sleeker body and an all the more intense, 616-hp W-12 motor.

We were urged our first drive of the lighter, less expensive Flying Spur V8, which lost precisely none of its Bentley-ness with the fitment of the Volkswagen Group's pervasive 4.0-liter eight-chamber, tuned to deliver a strong 500 pull. The Flying Spur family multiplied in size when V8 S and W12 S models were presented a year ago, raising pull to 521 and 626 and highlighting an extraordinary front-belt structure, a back diffuser, and dark painted grilles. Having officially expressed our inclination for the Flying Spur V8's relative spryness and throatier sound, we guessed that the V8 S would be the most convincing from a driving angle.

A few Numbers

As trifling as statistical data points might be to the run of the mill Bentley proprietor, one number of specific result is 5509—the pounds this test auto conveyed onto our scales, 55.1 percent of the aggregate laying on the front wheels. On one hand, that makes its 4.3-second zero-to-60-mph and 10.5-second zero-to-100-mph times significantly more noteworthy; same with the 167-foot prevent from 70 mph. Yet, at the skidpad, the position of safety 275/35ZR-21 Pirelli P Zeros that wrapped the V8 S's discretionary 21-inch six-talked wheels were overpowered after only 0.83 g of horizontal increasing speed. Also, regardless of the standard all-wheel-drive framework sending 60 percent of the accessible torque to the back wheels, understeer held on at the utmost.

Easy fast travel has dependably been a characteristic of a Bentley, and the V8 S satisfies this mission splendidly. The auto feels brilliantly snappy off the line. While nothing has a tendency to happen abruptly in a Bentley—that is all piece of the float—the V8 S is tuned for more honed throttle reaction, which permits it not exclusively to achieve 50 mph in only 2.6 seconds from a 30-mph lope, yet additionally to feel for the most part alarm, which isn't something we've generally possessed the capacity to say in regards to these cumbersome extravagance autos.

Also, speed achieved is speed kept up with unfaltering solidness, even profound into triple-digit region, with sharp guiding that takes care of impressively when the sportiest of the four skeleton modes has been chosen. The auto's enormous size—the wheelbase alone stretches in excess of 10 feet—and massive weight shield it from being much fun on a twisty street, yet in bends the body remains chivalrously level, making it feel more planted than anticipated. Furthermore, the brake-pedal feel is totally impeccable.

In any case, once more, there's something else entirely to this auto than its test outcomes or even the emotional feel of how it drives. As we expressed in a review of the past age Flying Spur Speed, "Each drive in the Bentley is a break from the real world, an event." Staying consistent with frame, the V8 S is best when one's faculties are coordinated toward making the most of its lavish seats, tickling the knurled move handle, or distinguishing those points of interest—the inconspicuous assembles in the upholstery or varieties in the sewing—that impart that these things truly are worked by hand. The inside structure may have developed recognizable, and you won't discover a large number of the new master blast includes that are extremely popular only one auto class beneath, yet the Flying Spur stays blameless as far as material trustworthiness—nary a thing inside this auto isn't actually what it would appear that. It's additionally an ocean of serenity: With only 62 discernable decibels at a 70-mph voyage, the Flying Spur is one of the calmest vehicles on earth.

With a beginning MSRP of $208,725, the V8 S is actually $16,000 pricier than the standard Flying Spur V8. Our test model conveyed to the gathering another $26K worth of alternatives, more than we'd want to shake off here and just a single—a $3360 set of 21-inch wheels—had any bearing on execution. In any case, a couple merit making reference to if simply because their costs strain credulity. For instance, this current auto's obscured headlamp bezels and taillamp focal points (the kind of thing one may think would be incorporated into the S treatment) added $1805 to the last count. Bentley doesn't charge any additional for this present model's polarizing Camel paint, which peruses as bronze from a couple of paces away yet upon close investigation shines with each shading in the rainbow; painting the brake calipers dark expense $1555, be that as it may. What's more, we'd love to know whether there's any material-cost-related explanation behind Bentley to charge $2190 to utilize a differentiating shade of string to join the seat upholstery and the directing wheel calfskin. In any case, there we are thinking like typical individuals once more.

So the Flying Spur isn't actually best in class, in spite of the fact that in V8 S frame, it is to some degree more engaged from a driving outlook. Overwhelming yet still very quick, it is as agile as each Bentley should be. Also, as we conjectured, it's the most captivating Flying Spur we've driven yet. Be that as it may, Bentley cars won't resemble this eternity. From what we can accumulate subsequent to seeing the exquisite new 2019 Continental GT make a big appearance and in the wake of meeting Bentley's manager, Wolfgang Dürheimer, this current auto's inevitable substitution is probably going to be unquestionably advanced—and perhaps jolted—so we should appreciate its enormous, substantial Bentley-ness while despite everything we can.