2025 Bentley Flying Spur Speed First Drive: Giving The Term Super Sedan A Whole New Meaning

Within the first few miles of setting off from our starting point, I immediately knew Bentley’s latest Flying Spur Speed was something very special. I’ve spent the better half of my 15 years testing some of the best full-size sedans that money can buy, like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series, thinking it’s impossible to imagine how it could get any better than the Germans and their decades-long expertise in this segment. But it can, and it can only be experienced when you actually get the chance to drive something as exquisite as the Flying Spur.

Although the Flying Spur Speed driven here may look like the old one, it marks one of the biggest changes for both the nameplate and the legendary Flying B. First and foremost, the Flying Spur Speed is the company’s first-ever V-8-based plug-in hybrid gas-electric sedan, but not the first V-8-powered PHEV model, as that title goes to the latest Continental GT. But being part twin-fed V-8 and part electric, both enable the Flying Spur Speed to take the latest title as being the world’s most powerful four-door sedan, with its whopping total output of 771 horsepower.

Does it live up to the hype? Bentley graciously flew me and several other lucky motoring journalists to Arizona to find out.

2025 Bentley Flying Spur Speed First Impressions

Yes, despite looking almost identical to the previous model, Bentley touts this new Flying Spur as a completely new, fourth generation. It still uses Volkswagen Group’s MSB Platform, which is strictly dedicated for use by Porsche for the Panamera and Bentley for the Flying Spur and Continental GT. But what separates the new model from the old one is a completely new electrical architecture that enables the latest model’s party trick: plug-in hybrid gas-electric propulsion.

The Flying Spur may not have changed aesthetically both on the inside and outside, but it’s not like it really had to. It may be a five-year-old design. But it’s one that still reflects Bentley’s overall themes of today, essentially being a stretched out Continental GT with a longer wheelbase and two extra doors.

Unlike Flying Spurs of the past, the newest model sports a much sleeker and swept-back design that’s far less upright and pudgy than the original, a byproduct of the Flying Spur utilizing that MSB front-engine longitudinal platform, versus the original’s model dependence on VW Group’s D1 platform. The latter also underpinned the Volkswagen Phaeton and was a loose spin-off from the D3 platform utilized by Audi for the third-gen A8.

The roof sits lower and the front wheels appear wider and further away from the passenger cell, both of which are complemented by a visibly elongated and stretched out front end, all to portray how engineers moved the engine to sit lower and further back in the chassis to improve handling and performance. The result is what may darn well be the best-looking Flying Spur yet. But despite looking the same as your neighbor’s model from several years ago, the difference will be seen when it gets left behind in the dust and in the rearview mirror.

Exterior Dimensions

Driving Impressions And Performance

While Mercedes-Benz S-Class AMG models and M-Sport versions of the BMW 7 Series proved how far the laws of physics can be bent with four-wheeled land yachts, the Flying Spur goes even further and then some. From the moment that the Flying Spur Speed gains momentum, to the second you twist the short-ratio steering into a bend, you can immediately tell that this Bentley is set up to be driven, not chaffeured in. Whereas the old D1-based Flying Spur felt nose-heavy and offered a much better experience in the backseat, the new Flying Spur feels set up to simply devour miles by the hundreds at the whim of its pilot. It feels like a car you can just drive all day until you’ve reached your own limits, or you maxed out your gas station credit line.

Part of that is a result of the Flying Spur’s new trick dual-valve dampers that offer an incredible blend of comfort, handling, and body control. Even in Sport mode, the Flying Spur delivers an exquisitely plush ride with just the right amount of suspension travel to give you the immediate feeling that you’re in a luxury car. It works so well at damping road imperfections, you wouldn’t even know 22-inch wheels fill the wells unless you looked at the tires or spec sheet. Yet, when the road stops being straight, Bentley’s long tradition for sporting automobiles shines through with how buttoned down its body motions are on all axes. It’s so unbelievably well-balanced that words can’t describe how exquisitely the Flying Spur rides and drives. You genuinely have to drive and experience it for yourself.

Braking And Acceleration

Bentley touts the new Flying Spur Speed as a four-door supercar and even if you ignored the name and the marketing tagline, its spec sheet is one that says all. Up front is a variant of Porsche’s latest twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8, boasting an already impressive 591 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. Add in an electric motor sandwiched in between the V-8’s flywheel and its eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, good for up to 188 more horses and 332 torques, and the result is a mind-bending total output of 771 hp and 738 lb-ft, or 1,000 Newton Meters for those who go by the metric system.

Even if you ease into the throttle as opposed to giving it the full beans, the Flying Spur Speed just jolts towards the horizon with complete effortlessness and without any hesitation, to the point where overtaking becomes a frivolously fun activity. But the incredible part is that the Flying Spur really doesn’t suck you into the seat. Rather, it just seamlessly whisks you towards the horizon while making the speedometer climb at a dizzying rate, all without any drama or pantomime, aside from the burly, yet muffled rumble from the engine under heavy throttle inputs that’s become a signature of V-8 Bentleys of the past couple of decades.

• Acceleration 0-60 MPH: 3.3 Seconds (Manufacturer Claimed)
• Top Speed: 177 MPH

Performance Specifications

2025 Bentley Flying Spur Fuel Economy

The Environmental Protection Agency and European Environmental Agency have both yet to rate the 2025 Bentley Flying Spur Speed’s fuel economy. But if I had to guess, with nearly 600 hp on tap from its twin-turbo V-8 alone, a curb weight of nearly three tons, and a price tag well above a quarter of a million smackaroos, fuel economy and costs are the least bit of any Bentley Flying Spur owners’ concerns.

With its new plug-in hybrid system however, Bentley claims a total driving range of up to 517 miles on one full tank of premium and a full charge of its electric propulsion system. About 47 of those 517 miles can be done on all-electric power at speeds of up to 87 MPH, with up to 75 percent throttle. The battery can also be fully recharged in a little over two and a half hours on the proper fast charger, according to Bentley engineers.

During our over 300-mile drive, I was able to squeeze up almost over 50 miles of all-electric driving range, thanks to light throttle inputs and the Flying Spur’s seemingly incredible regenerative braking system, before the gas engine kicked in. But once it kicked in, the fuel tank seemed to deplete at a noticeably quick rate whenever the V-8 was given the beans. And because my drive partner and I were so enamored with the way the Flying Spur devoured asphalt and fuel, we paid no attention to the car’s onboard trip computer for fuel economy estimates, as any sensible Bentley owner wouldn’t.

Interior Design And Comfort

Like any other Bentley, comfort is an absolute hallmark, being a purveyor as one of the ultimate statements in luxury, craftsmanship, and performance. The seats unexpectedly are some of the best in the business with all the sort of adjustments one would need and multiple modes of massaging, heating, and cooling capabilities to make it one of the most posh ways to conquer asphalt. Noise, vibration, and harshness levels are virtually nonexistent, making it quieter than a church inside and at any speed.

Similar to Flying Spurs and Continental GTs of years past, the dashboard retains the compartmentalized design with acres of exquisitely polished wood trim, chrome appointments, and some of the most supple and plushest leather, this side of Italy. And of course, what’s Bentley without its signature and iconic knurled chrome organ HVAC air vent stops on the dashboard?

Interior Dimensions

Technology And Ease Of Use

Like all other Bentleys of the recent past, the new Flying Spur makes the very best of Porsche’s and Audi’s parts bins. The infotainment system’s graphical user interface may ring bells of familiarity as it’s still based on Audi’s MMI software. But it’s been nicely redressed with Bentley logos and Flying Spur graphics that do a much better job at hiding its Audi and Porsche roots, offering a much more bespoke experience.

Another noticeably welcome detail in the Flying Spur is that it gets its own bespoke switchgear. The steering column stalks are no longer lifted straight from an Audi A8 and all the car’s buttons seem bespoke to the Flying Spur. The only noticeable and slight drawback is that you may find that the systems still make the same dashboard noises and tones as your in-law’s Audi. While all the passive and active driver assist and safety systems seemed to all work as they should, the Bentley’s Audi-sourced highway driving assist system and radar-guided cruise control still isn’t as comprehensive Mercedes-Benz’s DISTRONIC Plus or BMW’s Active Driving Assistant Pro and Highway Assistant.

Cargo And Storage Space

Although I spent 300 miles in the new Flying Spur Speed, I really didn’t get a chance to test its trunk capacity. On paper, however, the Flying Spur boasts about 346 liters or 12.21 cubic feet in Yankee numbers. That’s about on par with the rest of its competition, such as the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class’s 12.9 cubes. The Rolls-Royce Ghost II on the other hand, has 14 cubes of trunk space, though it is a considerably larger vehicle than the Bentley.

2025 Bentley Flying Spur Speed Vs. Its Competitors

As four-door sedan that sits at the automotive totem pole as one of the ultimate statments in luxury, performance, and craftsmanship, the Bentley Flying Spur doesn’t have many competitors, with the list being about as exclusive as the badge itself. As such, only the Rolls-Royce Ghost II and Mercedes-Maybach S-Class have the guts and glory to compete against a sedan like the Flying Spur. And while top-specification BMW 7 Series or standard Mercedes-Benz S-Class models come extraordinarily close to delivering much of the driving experience of the Flying Spur Speed, neither of them are Bentleys.

The Ultimate Bentley Four-Door Sedan For Drivers

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better than a Mercedes-AMG S-Class or a BMW 7 Series M Sport, the Bentley Flying Spur Speed comes along to remind the world that it’s still a major cut above the rest in nearly every single measurable way. Not only does the Bentley have the guts to really embrace the title of being the world’s most powerful sedan and a “four-door supercar,” it does so while cosseting occupants with one of the finest interiors and most luxurious on-road experiences of today.

Sure, electrification has been taking the automotive world by storm under the premise and mission of being environmentally conscientious with the end goal being zero emissions. But it also provides another benefit to the Flying Spur’s luxury motoring experience in the form of extra and silent motivation, to no real detriment or compromise to the its ultimate on-road experience.