new auto cars 2012: 2013 Bentley Flying Spur

2013 Bentley Flying Spur

2013, Bentley, Bentley Flying Spur, Cars 3:18 AM

Bentley have worn the Continental Flying Spur name on two quite different classes of four-door cars since 1957. The first is a four-door saloon body made to special order by coach-builders H. J. Mulliner & Co. on a Bentley Continental chassis. These bodies were built in London on the various specification chassis made in Crewe between 1957 and 1966. The second is a standard manufacturer's cataloger car, a four-door standard production line version of Bentley own Crewe factory-built Continentals.

The four-door Continental Flying Spur saloon was first displayed at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. The Flying Spur utilizes most of the technical underpinnings of the Bentley Continental GT, and was introduced to European and North American markets in the summer of 2005. Together, the Bentley Continental GT and Flying Spur have boosted Bentley's annual production from around 1,000 units in 2003, to 9,200 units in 2006.

The Flying Spur has a 6-litre, 12-cylinder engine, configured in a W formation. Unlike a conventional 12-cylinder engine with two banks of 6, the Continental’s 6-litre engine is configured in four banks of 3 cylinders each. This shortens the W-12 engine's length considerably, compared to a 2-bank configuration. The W-12 produces 552 bhp, accelerates from 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds, and propels the Flying Spur top speed of 194 mph. One notable aspect of the Continental Flying Spur is its grille. Made to look like traditional chromed brass mesh, it is a metal-covered plastic-core. This was fitted as a safety feature; it is designed to break apart upon impact with a pedestrian.