Hybrid assistance coming for new Bentley Flying Spur

The Bentley Flying Spur is soon to feature the most diverse engine line-up on sale with a V6 hybrid power unit set to join its existing V8 and W12 options.

As a part of the Crewe-based manufacturer's plan to start adopting hybrid and electric technology, its Flying Spur will be the second plug-in hybrid to come from the luxury brand, following on from the Bentayga V8 PHEV's release in 2019.

Powering the Flying Spur will be a 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6 engine which produces 400kW and 750Nm when the 100kW/400Nm electric motor is working at full capacity, located between the internal combustion engine and its eight-speed autoamtic gearbox.

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Connected to a 14.1kWh lithium-ion battery, Bentley believes the Flying Spur will be able to travel upwards of 40km on electric power alone – a crucial feature for owners in ultra-low emission zones such as London – while a combined range of over 700km is possible, pending WLTP certification.

Rather than a conventional button to trigger the car's start-stop system, the Flying Spur can be driven in any one of three driving modes – EV only, hybrid mode and hold mode, the latter of which charges the battery so it can have optimal deployment in the other two modes.

The 0-100km/h sprint times are down by a tenth of a second on the V8 twin-turbo Flying Spur, while the top speed has dropped by 34km/h, from 319km/h to 285km/h – though this isn't likely to deter many people in a country where doing even half the top speed will see you in trouble.

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Aside from a small hybrid badge on the lower front wing, there aren't many other changes for the PHEV, still being offered in a wide range of paint finishes, wheel options and interior trims.

A spokesperson for Bentley Australia told MOTOR it is currently taking orders for the Flying Spur Hybrid, with a list price of $456,000 excluding stamp duty.

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