2020 Bentley Flying Spur

Bentley has stopped taking orders for its V8-powered Continental GT and Flying Spur models

The UK, Europe and the Middle Eastern markets will be stopped initially, with the rest of the world following suit

Today marks the end of an era, as Bentley has officially closed the order books for its V8-powered Continental GT and Flying Spur models, with production stopping entirely this June.

The UK isn’t the only market where the V8 duo will be retired either, with the decision taken to do the same in Europe and the Middle East, with the rest of the global market following soon after. We’d imagine that includes Antarctica. Maybe.

Introduced back in 2012, the 4.0-litre twin-turbo block has since powered over 53,000 Continental GT and Flying Spur examples with 542bhp and even more torques. So to say it’ll be missed would be an understatement; though it will continue to be used in the Bentayga until further notice.

The decision comes as Bentley looks to transition to a more hybridised powertrain lineup later this year, with its first pure EV expected in 2026, before the brand looks to go entirely electric by 2030.

 
Bentley will sign off its Continental GT and Flying Spur V8s with ‘Edition 8’ variants

Well, it will do in the North American market. New special edition marks the end of the non-hybrid V8

As you may remember, last week Bentley announced that it was retiring the V8 engine option for its Continental GT and Flying Spur models to make way for a hybrid successor, and - never one to miss the opportunity for a special edition - it has now announced a last-of-the-line ‘Edition 8’ set of cars for the North American market.

The Edition 8 includes a selection of bespoke commission options from Mulliner. Externally, the highlights include five or 10-spoke 22in alloys, a ‘jewel’ fuel filler cap and many Edition 8 badges to signify your superiority over standard Bentley owners. Well, unless they bought a W12.

Luckily, the cabin of the Edition 8 has seen much more attention. There's something called ‘Palm Fluting’ upholstery - which has never been offered on a mainstream Bentley model before - plus contrast stitching, and there's no denying it looks mighty special in there. Given the way house prices are going, an Edition 8 seems incredibly tempting as a makeshift home/transport/office, no?

The engine remains untouched, so the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 - which has apparently powered over 53,000 vehicles since its introduction in 2012 - will continue to float around the 542bhp mark.


Combo.png
 
This is the very last 6.0-litre W12 engine Bentley will ever make

Done. As the last W12 is finished, Bentley preps for a hybrid and EV future

This is the very last W12 engine Bentley will ever build, marking an end to the venerable 6.0-litre’s long, long service.

You knew it was coming. Bentley long ago revealed it would cease production of the W12 as it – and the wider car world around it – moves into the exciting, shiny new electric future. Yes, it could have probably kept it going for a bit longer, but time waits for no-one, and all that.

So now we come to the very final W12, hand-built in Crewe as always, and the last of more than 100,000 W12 engines carefully assembled by Bentley since 2003. You’ll remember 2003. The year The Darkness released I Believe In A Thing Called Love, of course! And the launch of the first Bentley Continental GT.

Essentially a pair of narrow-angle V6s strapped together with extra-grippy sticky tape, those early W12s punched out 552bhp – a far cry from the engine’s genesis, a 360bhp tentative outing in an old Audi A8 – before later shooting up to 600bhp, and finally 650bhp in Speed trim.


1721745788693.png
 
Crewe’s Missile: Bentley produces last W12 engine as downsizing era gets in full swing

Bentley Motors has just produced its last 12-cylinder engine, marking the end of an era for the British manufacturer.

The last W12-powered Continental GT, Flying Spur and Bentayga models rolled off the production line in Crewe, England, recently, and the brand is replacing it with a new high-performance V8 hybrid with advanced battery technology.

The new plug-in hybrid eight-cylinder powertrain offers combined outputs of 575kW and 1,000Nm, and a claimed all-electric driving range of 80km.

Downsizing of engines and a move to plug-in hybrids has become an industry trend as manufacturers face ever-stricter emissions laws.

 
The new 771bhp Flying Spur Speed is the fastest four-door Bentley ever built

How does 0-62mph in 3.5s via a V8 hybrid, sound? Well, hopefully quite fruity

This is a four-door, hybrid family saloon made by a small British manufacturer that boasts low emissions and a very decent real-world electric-only range.

Where it differs from yer average four-door, hybrid family saloon however, is in its 771 horsepowers, huge torque reserves and bountiful speed. Because this is no ordinary four-door, hybrid family saloon – it is the new Bentley Flying Spur Speed.

And the new Bentley Flying Spur Speed comes with a new ‘Ultra Performance Hybrid’ drivetrain able to swoosh this British bruiser from 0-62mph in just 3.5s (0-60mph in 3.3s – half a second quicker than before). Bentley calls it its first “four-door supercar”, and you’d be hard pushed to disagree.

So yes, it looks much like the outgoing Flying Spur, but then the outgoing Flying Spur already looked very handsome indeed. The changes are all deep within, with this fourth-generation car sitting on a new architecture allowing the instalment of many electrons.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X