The Flying Spur Hybrid is estimated to return 24.9 miles of electric-only range, according to the European WLTP standard. Bentley estimates it will take 2.5 hours to fully charge the battery from empty on a fast charger. With a full charge, our test vehicle showed 31 miles of EV range and in mixed city and highway driving, that estimate seemed accurate. It's important to note that even when we engaged the EV Drive mode, the gasoline-powered V6 engine would occasionally activate when we applied more than a moderate amount of throttle.
When driven conservatively, as is appropriate, the Flying Spur Hybrid silently glides away from a stop. When more aggressive acceleration is commanded, the big sedan responds immediately with the electric motor, followed by the V6 engine springing to life to contribute more power. The two stages of acceleration are heard more than felt, as the transition between them is relatively seamless. Under moderate acceleration, it was difficult to tell when the V6 was activated at all.
As a large premium luxury sedan that tips the scales past 5,500 pounds, the Flying Spur Hybrid isn't the type of vehicle you'd want to drive aggressively on a twisting mountain pass. That said, it handles exceptionally well, instilling confidence though not encouraging sports car-like antics. Body roll is well managed, and the brakes are easy to modulate.
Overall, the Flying Spur Hybrid behaves just as it should. As much as we love the subtle burble of a V8 or W12 engine, we love the silence of electric propulsion even more.