Bentley Centenary-Marking Flying Spur Luxury Grand Touring Sedan To Be Unveiled On June 11

Bentley has named the date and time that it is to reveal its latest car, the Flying Spur, that it says will “set new standards of both driving enjoyment and luxury” as well as will mark Bentley Motors’ 100th anniversary. It’s to be unveiled on June 11 this year at 1100 BST. The car is all-new and the third-generation of the Flying Spur, and Bentley reckons it combines the sports sedan and luxury limousine. Bentley, that most notable British creator of grand touring cars, is celebrating its 100th birthday this year in a number of ways. This includes it introducing all-new cars to the market that it aims will set new standards, and this Flying Spur is the latest.

Bentley has also revealed that the Flying Spur will be the very first Bentley to feature all-wheel steering, which it says will enhance “both stability at cruising speeds and agility about town”. During high-speed manoeuvres, the electronic system is designed to steer the rear wheels in the same direction as the front wheels, aiding overtaking and lane-changes. Bentley adds that the feature “means no compromise between high-speed confidence and low-speed convenience”.

Like all recent Flying Spurs, this latest model also features all-wheel drive, boosting traction, while for the first time drive will be supplied only to the rear wheels in standard road conditions, to give what Bentley calls “classic sports sedan handling characteristics”. And if slip is detected the system can instantly and automatically send drive to the front wheels. The new car also has a new feature called Bentley Dynamic Ride. This is to improve handling and ride comfort by changing suspension stiffness on demand to combat cornering forces and minimise body roll.

Bentley had earlier this month offered a glimpse of the new Flying Spur’s interior, containing what it called an automotive world first of three-dimensional textured leather upholstery with material developed by a skilled team of craftspeople based in Crewe, England. There was a previous Flying Spur introduced from 2005, and while some reviews of it were a little equivocal Bentley says this latest model shares only its name with the predecessor, and will “deliver an unparalleled touring experience for the driver and passengers alike” as well as that it aims to be “the world’s best luxury Grand Touring sedan”. This Flying Spur—like the recently-launched Continental GT—is a ground-up effort that Bentley reckons “pushes the boundaries of both technology and craftsmanship to deliver segment-defining levels of performance and refinement”.

Other Bentley centenary celebrations include creating 100 models of the special edition Continental GT mentioned, which are hand-built by Mulliner, Bentley’s bespoke division. There also are activities on the racing track, including a special Bentley race at the world’s biggest historic motor racing festival, Silverstone Classic, plus the Bentley Speed 8 that won the Le Mans 24 Hours race in 2003 in addition to a host of other historic Bentleys appeared at the recent Goodwood Members’ Meeting.

Images courtesy of Bentley