2014 Bentley Continental Flying Spur flies high with new tech, new styling, and 616 hp

By Stephen Edelstein February 20, 2013

Bentley has been revamping its Continental line, with updated versions of the GT coupe and GTC convertible already on the road. Next up for a facelift is the Flying Spur sedan, which is set to debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show in early March.

While the other second-generation Continentals got a subtle styling makeover, the Flying Spur looks noticeably different.

Larger quad headlights and an upfront grille preserve some of the old car’s face, while a larger lower air intake adds a little aggression. The character line that runs from the top of the headlights to the rear fender has also gotten curvier, giving the Flying spur a less formal look.

In contrast to the outgoing car’s flat sides, the 2014 Flying Spur has some definition around the rear wheels. The curvier sheetmetal gives it somewhat of a Coke bottle shape, although the roof is as upright as ever. At the back horizontal taillights replace the old car’s vertical ones.

Under that new sheetmetal is a 6.0-liter, twin-turbocharged W12, which produces 616 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. It’s mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and all-wheel drive.

The Flying Spur won’t get the twin-turbocharged V8 offered in base models of the Continental GT and GTC.

Despite weighing 5,451 pounds, the Flying Spur should really, well fly. Bentley says it will do 0 to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds, and reach a top speed of 200 mph

The 2014 Flying Spur will also be (relatively) fuel efficient. Bentley expects it to return 12 mpg city, 20 mpg highway, and 15 mpg combined on the EPA cycle. Luckily, most Bentley buyers can probably afford a Prius as a second car.

The interior looks the same as the outgoing model’s, but comes with a tech upgrade. A new infotainment system with Google Maps capability is included, and, like the larger Mulsanne, the Flying Spur can also become a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot with optional equipment. An 1,100-watt Naim audio system is also available.

Bentley isn’t discussing price, but expect the 2014 Flying Spur to command a significant premium over the 2013 model, which starts at $184,200. A faster Speed model, to complement the Continental GT Speed and GT Speed Convertible, will likely follow.

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Stephen Edelstein

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Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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