Flying Spur Is Ready For Take-off
The Flying Spur has landed! And Auto Express wasted no time getting behind the wheel of the first all-new Bentley four-door since Volkswagen took control of the classic British marque in 1998. What's more, the Crewe-based firm claims this 195mph charger is the world's fastest saloon.
The newcomer joins the ranks at an exciting time - the company has recently announced that the Arnage Drophead Coupé will go into production in 2006. And the Continental GT coupé has been a runaway success, with more than 6,500 sold worldwide last year - over 1,800 of them in the UK alone.
Bentley is obviously hoping the new machine will share that fortune. To this end, the car's full title is the Continental Flying Spur, and there are no prizes for recognising the styling similarities between the two models. However, only aficionados will notice the four-door has a slightly more upright windscreen.
In fact, 60 per cent of components are shared between the pair. We don't think the saloon is quite as handsome and elegant as the coupé, and the design looks a touch ungainly from some angles. But the 320mm longer wheelbase and extended rear overhang give a massive 475-litre boot, and make for an impressively roomy interior.
But it's the back seating that's truly superb, as you can opt for either a two or three-abreast layout. The more exclusive former set-up costs an additional £4,500 due to the ornate hand-crafted console and two fully adjustable electric seats. Yet no matter which format you opt for, the passenger environment has to be experienced to be believed. Space is easily a match for that of the long-wheelbase Mercedes S-Class, and none of Bentley's German competitors has anywhere near such a luxurious or cosseting atmosphere.
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