Bentley’s (almost) silent four-door supercar
Bentley is not the first automaker to refer to a sedan as a “four-door supercar,” as it does with the 2025 Flying Spur plug-in hybrid revealed in September. Whether by marketing departments or auto journalists, the term has been bandied about for years on cars like BMW M and Mercedes-AMG road-eaters. Modern Bentleys have certainly provided supercar-like acceleration, so what’s the deal with this new one?
The 2025 Flying Spur itself is not all-new, just mainly refreshed all over, but what’s under the hood spreads enough newness to go around. In the wake of the amazing W-12 engine’s retirement earlier this year, the new car gets what Bentley calls its “Ultra Performance Hybrid” powertrain. That’s shorthand for a 771-horsepower V8-plus-electric motor combo that outmuscles and out-accelerates the former W-12 version.
Pricing has not been announced, but the 2024 V-8 Flying Spur started at about $220,000. We’d expect a premium for the plug-in hybrid setup.
Electrified Performance
The current Flying Spur has been around since 2020. Before delving into the 2025 version, we should note that Bentley’s focus on hybrids was already planned, though its transition to EVs has been pushed back a bit. The 2025 Bentley Flying Spur, which is a plug-in hybrid model exclusively. Bentley says the car can run in battery mode alone for up to 47 miles, although that is according to the European WLTP test cycle. It will likely be either side of about 40 miles according to the more realistic U.S. EPA test cycle.
The new plug-in hybrid Flying Spur should also be able to run up to about 80 mph on the 25.9-kWh battery. Those will be the quietest mile. When the gas-burning part of the powertrain kicks in, it’s go time. The hybrid powertrain will charge the battery on the go, and when you get home, just plug it in to recharge. If you forget to do that, no worries, because like other PHEVs, the Flying Spur will still function like a regular hybrid.
Eight Beats 12
If you are still mourning the loss of Bentley’s extraordinary W-12 engine, take heart. The Ultra Performance Hybrid” powertrain that powers the new Continental and Flying Spur will cheer you up in a hurry.
The ingredients include a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 pumping out 584 horsepower on its own, augmented by a 187-hp electric motor that sits between the gas engine and the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Total system output comes in at a staggering 771 horsepower and massive 738 lb-ft.-feet of torque. By comparison, the W-12 served up 626 horsepower and 664 lb-ft. of peak torque.
Unlike the gas-only W-12, this is not an exclusively Bentley powertrain. Two other vehicles from the Volkswagen Group are using it now, as well. The Lamborghini Urus uses a version with 789 horsepower, while the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid has the same system as the Bentleys.
Quicker than the W-12
Bentley says the combo can push the big Bentley from 0-60 in 3.3 seconds. Yup, that’s mighty quick, and slightly excels real-world tests of the previous V-8 and W-12 models, which both turned in about the same performance.
Why is the new Flying Spur hybrid not much quicker than the previous V-8 model, which had a mere 542 horsepower to work with? Firstly, 3.3 seconds to 60 ought to be quick enough for anyone, but to answer the question, it’s all down to weight. The previous V-8 model weighed about 5,500 pounds, and we’d expect the new hybrid to pack on another 500 from the electric motor and battery (mostly the battery). That’s a guesstimate; Bentley has not revealed the car’s weight.
Despite the added heft, though, the new car should use less fuel than the two variants it replaces.
But What Happened to Bentley’s First Flying Spur Hybrid?
Say, didn’t Bentley already have a Flying Spur plug-in hybrid? Yes, indeedy, it did, starting in 2022. That model also used a Porsche Panamera powertrain, which combined a 410-horsepower V6 with a 134-hp electric motor. It was no slouch, with 0-60 in 3.9 seconds and a blazing 12.3-second quarter-mile at 114 mph nearly matching the V-8 model. The 15.0-kWh battery could give 21 miles of electric range on it own.
That car won praise for performance but was knocked a few points for refinement, specifically with a V-6 gas engine that could sound rather un-Bentley like under full acceleration. Car and Driver achieved 28 mpg at a steady 75 mph, which, honestly, was an Olympic achievement for such a fast, heavy car.
The Bentley Bentayga SUV, by the way, still offers a hybrid powertrain (not plug-in) that pairs a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 with an electric motor, for the same price as the gas V-8 model.
The Launch Model is Called “Speed”
The rest of the 2025 Flying Spur is essentially carryover from the 2024, with some choice upgrades. A new front bumper and grilled update the styling, and you can choose form three new 22-inch wheel styles. Inside, you’ll find a new diamond quilt seat pattern, with that leather trim also covering the inner door panels and the roof pillars.
As if the 2024 Flying Spur’s cabin were not coddling enough, the 2025 model offers new “Wellness Seating.” This is Bentley’s cute name for independent climate and posture settings for each of the four individual seats. My Bentley App Studio integrates popular apps into the infotainment system, and Bentley promises that “a new electrical architecture enables integration of new class-leading technology for unrivalled user experience.” (Yes, they really say things like this.)
It seems most new premium cars debut with a special launch edition, and here the 2025 Bentley Flying Spur obliges with what it says will be a performance-focused Speed model. Bentley did not reveal what might earn this model the “Speed” badge but you could reasonably expect tweaks to the Performance Active Chassis, Bentley Dynamic Ride, and all-wheel steering. The Speed will be available in 100 exterior colors, and if you don’t see one you like in that selection, they’ll paint it to your specs.
What color would you like?
