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THE NEW CONTINENTAL FLYING SPUR RANGELast Updated on Monday 9th June 2008 at 19:42
THE NEW CONTINENTAL FLYING SPUR RANGE
INTRODUCTIONThe new Bentley
Continental Flying Spur is set to deliver even greater levels of
refinement, comfort and opportunities for customer personalisation. The
class-leading 12-cylinder luxury saloon will also be joined by the 600
bhp (610PS) Continental Flying Spur Speed. The most powerful 4-door car
ever produced by the British manufacturer, the Flying Spur Speed offers
the pure driving experience and uncompromising performance synonymous
with all Bentleys bearing the Speed legend.
The Continental
Flying Spur has been an extraordinary success story for Bentley since
its launch in 2005. Its unrivalled combination of exciting performance,
luxury, craftsmanship, style and four-door practicality has broadened
the appeal of the Continental range. The Flying Spur has become the
most successful 12-cylinder luxury saloon in the world and has played a
pivotal role in the revitalisation of Bentley.
The instantly
recognisable style of the Flying Spur undergoes a subtle evolution with
changes to the front and rear design. The new, more upright grille and
bolder lower air intake accentuate the distinctive Bentley profile,
while the new rear bumper delivers a more aggressive and sleek
appearance.
A comprehensive
range of noise-absorbent measures including acoustic glazing,
tri-laminate body undertrays and wheelarch liners ensure that cabin
refinement, already a hallmark of the Continental Flying Spur, is best
in class.
The new Flying
Spur may 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 provides the world’s best
in-car sound stage. Designed exclusively for Bentley by Naim, the
renowned British hi-fi manufacturer, the 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. The
next-generation Digital Signal Processor further enhances the listening
experience.
The
aluminium-intensive suspension of the Flying Spur features revised
spring and dampers and a new bespoke 19-inch Pirelli UHP tyre for
outstanding levels of ride quality, comfort and refinement.
 Bentley’s
commitment to the highest quality of craftsmanship and customer
personalisation is highlighted with an enhanced choice of beautifully
crafted wood marquetry and chrome inlays. In addition, seat piping, a
traditional Bentley feature, is introduced on Flying Spur together with
two new hide colours. Three new colours and four duo-tone paint
combinations are added to the exterior paint palette.
The 600bhp
Continental Flying Spur Speed unleashes the same potent performance and
intense levels of driver engagement as its highly acclaimed stablemate,
the Continental GT Speed.
Inspired by
Bentley’s legendary ‘Speed’ models that first appeared in 1923, the
Flying Spur Speed offers a range of headline performance figures
including a 0-60mph sprint time of 4.5 seconds and a top speed of
200mph.
A lowered ride
height, uprated and redesigned suspension as well as retuned steering
deliver outstanding agility and body control. Exceptional grip comes
from the unique 9.5Jx20 multi-spoke alloy wheels with bespoke Pirelli
P-Zero UHP performance tyres.
The Flying Spur
Speed is distinguished by subtle design cues which emphasise its
performance credentials, including dark-tinted radiator and air intake
grilles, wider rifled exhaust tail pipes and unique 20-inch multi-spoke
alloy wheels.
Bentley Chairman and Chief Executive, Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen explains the rationale behind the new range:
“The global
success of the Continental Flying Spur has created a new generation of
Bentley owners. Responding to their feedback, we have refined an
already remarkable car and with the debut of the Flying Spur Speed we
are extending its appeal.”
CONTINENTAL FLYING SPUR RANGE – NEWS IN BRIEF Styling evolution - New front end design with:
- New, more slender rear bumper design with:
Improved personalisation and bespoke choice
- Enhanced choice of handcrafted interior and exterior finishes include:
The new Flying Spur Speed shares the enhancements of the Continental Flying Spur model above with the following additions taken from the acclaimed GT Speed: - A more powerful 600bhp (610PS/449kW) version of Bentley’s highly acclaimed W12 with 553 lbft (750 Nm) of torque.
- More engaging Bentley driving experience through uprated chassis:
- 0-60mph in 4.5 secs (0-100km/h in 4.8s) and a top speed of 200mph (322km/h).
Unique Speed model styling cues:
THE NEW 2009 CONTINENTAL FLYING SPUR
With typical
Bentley understatement the styling of the new Continental Flying Spur
is both evolutionary and subtly effective. At the front, the new bright
chrome radiator grille, now more vertical, has a more pronounced square
edge, accentuating the distinctive Bentley profile.
Beneath the
grille, the new lower bumper features a wider, bolder central air
intake. The black matrix grille also provides a 14 percent increase in
airflow for the more powerful Speed version and the charge cooler
intakes are positioned on the corners.
The lower grilles
may also be specified in bright chrome to complement that of the main
radiator. Chromed bezels around the headlamps complement the new
frontal design.
At the rear, the
new bumper with black lower valance and wraparound chrome trims make
for a more slender appearance that is complemented by new chromed tail
lamp bezels. Director of Design, Dirk van Braeckel explains the styling
evolution:
“The Flying
Spur is instantly recognisable on the road and we were keen to retain
its individuality. The subtle styling changes have given the car a
fresh look at the front and sleeker, more balanced appearance at the
rear.” Enhanced cabin refinement
Since its launch
in 2005, the Continental Flying Spur model has achieved a well-deserved
reputation for outstanding cabin refinement. For the new model range,
the Bentley engineering team were tasked to build on this success and
create a unique cabin ambience with best in class refinement and
comfort.
Key to that
improvement is a comprehensive package of enhancements to the Flying
Spur’s already impressive acoustic suppression technology. The complex
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.
A redesigned
exhaust system provides greater refinement while maintaining the
sporty, baritone character of the exhaust note. Overall, these changes
deliver a substantial improvement in cabin refinement.
Bentley’s Head of Body and Trim Engineering, Peter Guest, explains the effect of this acoustic management:
“We are
immensely proud that the cabin refinement of the new Flying Spur is
best-in-class. While achieving superb levels of noise insulation, the
sporting character and sense of connection with the road is
undiminished.” Enhanced driving dynamics and ride comfort
At the heart of
the Continental Flying Spur is Bentley’s 6-litre, twin turbocharged W12
engine, the most compact 12-cylinder engine in production. The 48-valve
head employs four camshafts and continually variable valve timing.
Power is transmitted via an uprated ZF six-speed automatic
transmission.
The W12 engine
continues to produce 552bhp (560PS/412kW) at 6100 rev/min and a maximum
torque of 650Nm (479lb ft) from 1600 rev/min across virtually the
entire rev range.
In common with
all Continental models, the Flying Spur employs a complex four-link
suspension at the front and a trapezoidal multi-link system at the rear.
Much of the
suspension is made from lightweight aluminium, benefiting steering feel
and rolling comfort. Self-levelling air springs are standard,
constantly monitoring and adjusting the ride height and damping
according to road conditions.
Outstanding
levels of ride quality and comfort were the target for the new
Continental Flying Spur and to achieve this, Bentley engineers have
recalibrated both spring and damper settings and introduced a new
bespoke 19-inch Pirelli P-Zero UHP tyre.
Using the same
technology as the 20-inch performance tyre introduced on the 2008
Continental GT Speed, the 19-inch version is specially developed to
optimise ride comfort and noise suppression, while providing
outstanding grip and agility.
The hydraulics of
the speed-sensitive Servotronic rack and pinion steering system have
been retuned to reduce friction and improve steering feel and driver
feedback.
The uprated
advanced electronic stability control (ESP) 8.1 system has a new ‘Sport
Traction’ mode that moderates ESP intervention at low speeds whilst
providing a greater degree of driver interaction and control, offering
superb traction without being intrusive.
Both Flying Spur models can now be specified with Bentley Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC).
As with
conventional cruise control, ACC will maintain, within close limits, a
‘set speed’ as selected by the driver. In addition, ACC uses a
long-range radar sensor, mounted in the lower front grille, to monitor
the road ahead for other vehicles. When a slower moving vehicle is
detected, the system automatically adjusts braking and acceleration to
maintain a ‘time gap’, as selected by the driver.
The ‘time gap’
also controls the vehicle dynamic response. The larger the time gap the
more relaxed the acceleration and braking, allowing the driver to tune
the ACC system to suit their own driving style and traffic conditions.
All Flying Spur
models are equipped with the largest brakes of any production passenger
car on sale today, with 405mm x 36mm ventilated front discs and 335mm x
22mm rears.
Bentley’s
carbon/silicon carbide brakes (CCB) are offered for the first time as
an option on Continental Flying Spur. With even larger 20mm x 40mm
cross-drilled front discs and 356mm x 28mm rears, with eight-piston
callipers, they may only be specified with 20-inch alloy wheels.
The lightweight,
fade-resistant braking system minimises disc distortion under high
thermal conditions. Under normal driving conditions the brake discs
will last the lifetime of the car and brake pad life is doubled
compared with the standard system. A 20kg reduction in rotating and
unsprung mass also benefits steering response and handling.
Brian Gush, Director, Chassis and Powertrain Engineering, comments:
“True to the
Bentley tradition, the Flying Spur delivers effortless power while
significant advancements in ride quality and comfort further emphasise
its deserved reputation for world-class luxury. The new Speed model
exemplifies our passion for creating cars that deliver truly
exceptional performance and driving enjoyment.” Enhanced cabin comfort and customer convenience
The 2009
Continental Flying Spur is the first model to feature the new Naim for
Bentley audio system to create the world’s best in-car sound stage.
Designed
exclusively for Bentley by Naim, the renowned British hi-fi
manufacturer, it features an 1100 Watt amplifier – the world’s most
powerful production unit fitted in a car – and 15 speakers. The speaker
drive units are specifically tailored by Naim to the cabin of each
model in the Bentley range to provide a unique and personalised audio
experience.
Bentley is also
the first car manufacturer to use a next-generation Digital Signal
Processor (DSP) in its audio system, enhancing the listening experience
still further.
All cars are now fitted as standard with a handset allowing rear passengers to control the main infotainment system.
A new optional
iPod, MP3 and USB interface is located in the glovebox, enabling
customers to connect personal music to the in-car infotainment system.
When an iPod is connected, the tracks are displayed on the infotainment
screen.
This perfectly
complements the optional rear seat entertainment package that comprises
two headrest-mounted 7-inch LCD screens, a 6-DVD multi-changer and two
sets of headphones. An enhanced remote control unit now incorporates
the rear seat entertainment systems.
A further driver
convenience feature is introduced for the park/distance control. The
new graphics readout on the console-mounted infotainment screen
complements the audible signal.
All new Flying
Spur models also benefit from significant developments to the cabin
interior. The seating of all new models is extensively redesigned, with
a multi-layer seat construction the comfort of which is optimised using
different materials.
Employing the
latest body profiling databases, the seats are constructed to offer the
optimum shape for front and rear seat occupants. In addition, the rear
seat cushions are lengthened by 40mm for additional comfort and support.
For the first
time on Flying Spur, customers specifying a five-seat configuration may
now opt for a rear-seat configuration with fully adjustable outboard
positions and a fixed central seat. The outer seats have full lumbar
adjustment together with heating and massage functions and a facility
to adjust the position of an unoccupied front passenger seat for even
greater legroom. Seat ventilation is available as an optional extra. Improved personalisation and bespoke choice
Already renowned
for its unrivalled standard of interior craftsmanship, the cabin of the
Continental Flying Spur is now even more luxurious, offering
unparalleled opportunities for personalisation in this segment of the
market. This follows an extensive development programme that marries
the latest production technology with the skills of Bentley’s craftsmen
and women at its factory in Crewe, England.
Continental
Flying Spur customers may now choose from an array of beautifully
crafted inlays. These include chrome inlays to door waistrails and a
choice of intricate marquetry wood inlays in contemporary and
traditional designs, creating a unique and personalised appearance.
The contemporary
style inlays comprise crossbanding to the door waistrails while the
traditional style inlays feature crossbanding and inlay to fascia, door
waistrails and upper centre console. Both are available for Walnut and
Chestnut veneers.
To further
enhance the interior specification, seat piping is now available as a
cost option and can be ordered in a contrast or non-contrast condition
from the full colour palette of interior hides.
In addition, a
new approach to the interior hide colour combinations provides
customers with greater opportunities for personalisation. The door
waistrails and lower door panels may now be matched to secondary hide
while the centre door pads and armrests remain matched to the main hide
colour creating a new two-tone effect.
Additions to the
2009 Flying Spur palette include two new hide colours (Linen and
Imperial Blue) as well as three new standard exterior paint colours
(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. THE NEW CONTINENTAL FLYING SPUR SPEED
Following the
highly successful introduction of the Continental GT Speed coupe in
2007, Bentley – almost half of new Continental GTs now sold are Speed
versions – Bentley now offers the 600bhp (610PS) W12 powertrain in the
new Continental Flying Spur Speed to deliver a more powerful and
engaging Bentley driving experience.
The Speed engine
develops 15 percent more torque and nine percent more power than the
standard Flying Spur, while engine efficiency is optimised by the use
of lower friction, lighter-weight components and a new engine
management system. The resultant performance is exceptional, with a top
speed of 200mph (322km/h), a zero to 60mph sprint time of just 4.5
seconds (0-100km/h in 4.8s) and effortless overtaking capability.
The most powerful
four-door Bentley ever made, the Flying Spur Speed blends understated
design cues to distinguish it from the Flying Spur. Its front grille
and lower air intakes are dark-tinted chrome, while at the rear wider
rifled sports exhaust tailpipes hint at the potential of the Speed
model.
New 20-inch
multi-spoke wheels available in both bright silver or darkened tungsten
carry bespoke Pirelli PZero performance tyres introduced on the GT
Speed model, which provide the car with superb grip and feedback.
The Speed’s
sporting performance is complemented by a highly capable chassis.
Tauter handling and greater steering response with sharper turn-in and
improved driver feedback is achieved through a retuned Servotronic
steering system, direct-mounted front subframe and stiffer bushings.
Improved agility
and body control is also achieved through uprated spring and damper
settings as well as thicker anti-roll bars front and rear. To aid the
car’s high-speed dynamics, the Flying Spur Speed’s self-levelling air
suspension sits 10mm lower.
The advanced
electronic stability programme (ESP), uprated to ESP 8.1 for both
models, provides a greater degree of driver interaction and control.
The Flying Spur
Speed offers a new 'Dynamic Mode' that allows increased wheel slip at
higher speeds. Torque is reinstated more quickly after the traction
control system is triggered, giving the spirited driver a greater sense
of control and the ability to exploit the full potential of the new
engine.
Dr Ulrich Eichhorn, Member of the Board Engineering, comments:
“The new
Flying Spur advances its Bentley performance credentials while
delivering outstanding refinement and comfort through our unique
application of advanced technology and traditional craftsmanship.
“With 600 bhp
and a sports-tuned chassis, the Flying Spur Speed redefines customer
expectations of a large, four-door luxury saloon. The performance,
handling and agility set new benchmarks.”
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
A SELECTION OF OPTIONS AVAILABLE SEPARATELY:
*Available on Continental Flying Spur Speed only (OPTIONAL ON CONTINENTAL FLYING SPUR ONLY) INCLUDES:
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