2018 Bentley Flying Spur Review

A Gulfstream G650 may be the most affluent way to travel, especially when you consider its top speed of 600 mph and a starting price of $65 million, but you're obviously limited as to where to park it. The 2018 Bentley Flying Spur can hit speeds just past 200 mph and costs a mere 3 percent of the Gulfstream and you can park it almost anywhere. What a bargain!

In all seriousness, the Flying Spur will likely be a prime candidate to shuttle you to and from your jet, whether you prefer to drive yourself or if you prefer to enjoy it from a passenger seat. It's luxuriously appointed with the finest materials and built by master craftspeople. It's an understated proclamation of wealth that can be tailored to fit your needs and aesthetics. It's elegant for sure, but it does lack some more modern conveniences and technologies.

The 2018 Bentley Flying Spur is offered in two main variants: Flying Spur V8 and Flying Spur W12. There are also sport versions: V8 S and W12 S. The V8 utilizes a turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 good for 500 horsepower and 487 pound-feet of torque. On the V8 S, output is increased to 521 hp and 502 lb-ft of torque. For the W12, a 6.0-liter W12 engine cranks out 616 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. The W12 S version has an incremental increase to 626 hp and 605 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission are standard on all versions.

Take a seat inside and you'll find that real wood veneer and leather saturate the interior, and chrome and polished organ-stop vent dampers still feature prominently on the dash. Standard feature highlights include an adjustable air suspension, a power trunklid, keyless ignition and entry, a Breitling analog dashboard clock, four-zone automatic climate control, and heated and ventilated multiway power front and rear seats. Also standard are an 8-inch front touchscreen, a navigation system, a rearview camera, voice controls and an eight-speaker audio system.

The Mulliner specification adds 21-inch wheels (or any other kind of wheel you'd like, Bentley says), a chrome lower front bumper with a wing insert, a choice of 17 diamond-quilted perforated interior hides (including a presumably non-literal Porpoise decor option) and six wood veneers, an indented leather headliner, a knurled shift knob, drilled alloy pedals and a special gas tank cap.

Other notable options include carbon-ceramic brakes, adaptive cruise control, various wheel designs, flip-down wooden picnic tables for rear passengers, upgraded stitching, a two-passenger rear compartment with a full-length center console, a rear entertainment system with twin display screens, Wi-Fi connectivity and a 13-speaker Naim sound system. Bentley also offers a seemingly endless array of different color, trim and upholstery customization options.