2013 Bentley Continental Flying Spur

2013 Bentley Continental Flying Spur

2013 Bentley Continental Flying Spur

Base Price     $184,200
Drivetrain     All Wheel Drive
Curb Weight (lbs)     5379
City (MPG)     11
Hwy (MPG)     24
Horsepower     552@6100
Torque (lb-ft)     479@1600-6100
Wheelbase     120.7
Length (in.)     208.3
Width (in.)     83.4
Height (in.)     58.1

2013 Bentley Continental Flying Spur

Bentley recently gave its Continental Flying Spur a modest exterior refresh, with changes to the front and rear of this large ultra-luxury sedan. The automaker also extended the 600-horsepower 'Speed' treatment to the four-door car, after first debuting the high-performance edition for the GT coupe.
The Flying Spur was introduced for the 2006 model year. A direct result of Bentley's then-new owners, the Volkswagen Auto Group, the sedan shares its basic underpinnings and some mechanical bits with VW's late Phaeton. As one would expect of a Bentley, it boasts a capacious interior trimmed in the some of the softest leather and highest quality wood imaginable.

The latest Flying Spur features a more upright grille and bolder lower air intake, while the revised rear bumper delivers a more aggressive and sleek appearance.
Bentley also decided to update the Flying Spur's electronic stability program and offer optional carbon ceramic brakes should owners try and test that 195 mph top speed. An optional three-spoke steering wheel along with improved Bluetooth capability round out the changes.

2013 Bentley Continental Flying Spur

2013 Bentley Continental Flying Spur

The standard Spur's engine offers 552 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 479 lb-ft of torque at 1,600 rpm. It transfers power to all four wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. The EPA rates the Spur's fuel economy at 10 mpg in the city and 17 mpg on the highway.
The aluminum-intensive suspension of the Flying Spur features revised spring and dampers and a new bespoke 19-inch Pirelli UHP tire for outstanding levels of ride quality, comfort and refinement.
The double-glazed windows, a standard feature since launch, now feature a sophisticated acoustic laminate inner layer for all side and rear windows. In addition, new tri-laminate acoustic underbody trays and wheel arch liners absorb road noise.

2013 Bentley Continental Flying Spur

Standard and Optional Features
Standard equipment on the Spur includes twin HID headlights with washer jets, 19-inch alloy wheels, a tire pressure monitoring system, cruise control, keyless entry and ignition, rain-sensing windshield wipers and a choice of 16 colors. On the inside, one has a choice of 17 colors for the leather-appointed interior and matching carpets and seatbelts, there are steering-column mounted shift paddles, a sunroof with electronic sunshade, a DVD navigation system, Sirius satellite radio, a six-CD changer in the glove compartment and voice dialing through the integrated Bluetooth system. The front seats feature lumbar massage, memory and heat settings. The rear seat's outer occupants enjoy lumbar massage and heating settings as well. The trunk is power opening and closing.

2013 Bentley Continental Flying Spur interior

Options include a choice of three 19-inch wheel styles and a 20-inch wheel and tire package, and the sunroof can be had with a solar panel to power ventilation fans to maintain interior temperature when parked. Inside, three veneers are available in addition to the standard one, a choice of leather trims for the two steering wheels, and a full-length center console turns the car into a four-seater but adds electrically adjustable rear seats.
Convenience options include a cordless privacy handset with keypad in center console, a rear telephone system, and a rear-view camera to aid in parking.
The new Flying Spur can now be specified with a sophisticated follow-to-stop, radar-based Adaptive Cruise Control system, which monitors traffic ahead and manages the throttle and brakes to maintain a pre-set time gap, up to a driver selected set speed.
As a further option, the new Naim for Bentley audio system features an 1100-watt amplifier, the most powerful unit offered in a production car, and 15 custom-built Naim speakers, including dual Naim sub-woofers.
Additions to the latest Flying Spur palette include two new hide colors (Linen and Imperial Blue) as well as three new standard exterior paint colors (Havana, White Sand and Onyx). Four unique duo-tone paint combinations (Havana, Dark Sapphire, Onyx and Midnight Emerald) are available for the first time on the Continental family.

2013 Bentley Continental Flying Spur interior

2013 Bentley Continental Flying Spur interior

2013 Bentley Continental Flying Spur interior

Occupant Safety
All Flying Spur models come standard with dual front, front side and full-length side curtain airbags in addition to traction and stability control systems.

2013 Bentley Continental Flying Spur

2013 Bentley Continental Flying Spur

Key Competitors
Competition to the Continental Flying Spur comes from the Rolls-Royce Ghost, which offers an imperial presence and a sumptuous cabin, the less-prestigious but absurdly powerful Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG and the Aston Martin Rapide, which is the least spacious but the most sleekly styled of the group.