Bentley drops the Flying Spur’s twin headlights and gives the S model 500 kW of hybrid power

A face that lasted 64 years is changing

Bentley revealed the new Flying Spur, and its biggest visual change sits right at the front. The saloon abandons its double round headlights and adopts one large light unit on each side. Bentley links the new front end to the design language of the fourth generation Continental GT and calls it the first single headlight Bentley saloon since 1962.

This is not a minor styling tweak. For decades, the Flying Spur carried the familiar four eyed look of Bentley luxury saloons, a face that helped separate it from the Mercedes Maybach S Class, Rolls Royce Ghost and Porsche Panamera. The new solution makes the car look lower and more modern, but it also removes a little of that old aristocratic eccentricity.

Design moves into the Continental GT family

Bentley also changes the grille, bumper, front wings and rear section. The radiator grille now blends more closely into the front bumper, the air vents disappear from the front wings and the model badges move behind the front wheel. At the rear, the Flying Spur uses a new boot lid, fresh light graphics and a body coloured number plate surround. Azure and S versions can also be specified with new wheel finishes measuring about 56 cm in diameter.

Bentley cannot afford to keep its four door flagship too conservative at a time when luxury car buyers are moving towards plug in hybrids and electric cars. The new face gives the Flying Spur a fresher position in a class where technology now sells almost as much as leather and wood.

The S version returns with 500 kW

The most driver focused news is the Flying Spur S. Bentley gives it the High Performance Hybrid powertrain, combining a 4.0 litre twin turbo V8 engine with an electric motor. The system produces 500 kW and 930 Nm, almost 96 kW more than the previous non hybrid Flying Spur S. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes 3.7 seconds and top speed reaches about 307 km/h.

The S version is not just about power. Bentley adds the Performance Active Chassis package, which brings together active all wheel drive, dual valve dampers, torque distribution between the front and rear axles, the 48 volt Bentley Dynamic Ride active anti roll system and an electronically controlled rear differential. The latter appears on the Flying Spur S for the first time.

Speed remains the real power statement

If the S fills the sporting middle ground, the Flying Spur Speed remains the technical flagship. Bentley’s Ultra Performance Hybrid uses a 441 kW V8 engine and a 140 kW electric motor, together producing 575 kW and 1000 Nm. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes 3.5 seconds. The Speed can travel up to 76 km on electric power, its total range reaches 829 km and the 25.9 kWh battery charges on an 11 kW charger in about 2 hours and 45 minutes.

That makes the Flying Spur a hugely important transition model for Bentley. The W12 era ended, but the new V8 plug in hybrid delivers more power, more instant torque and a quiet electric mode in town. Bentley says the Speed’s CO2 emissions fall by 90 per cent compared with the previous Flying Spur Speed.

Rivals are pushing from both sides

The Mercedes AMG S 63 E Performance plays a more aggressive numbers game, with 590 kW, up to 1430 Nm and 0 to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds. The Porsche Panamera Turbo E Hybrid puts more emphasis on handling and speed, offering 500 kW, 0 to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds and a top speed of up to 315 km/h.

The Flying Spur does not win every row of the spreadsheet. Its strength lies elsewhere. It blends super saloon pace, a long electric city range and Crewe craftsmanship. If the Panamera speaks to the driver through the steering wheel and the AMG through sheer force, the Bentley has to convince both the person at the wheel and the owner in the back seat.

Craftsmanship and audio take a larger role inside

The new Flying Spur offers five different seat designs, each requiring about 12 hours of handcrafting per set. The Mulliner Virtuoso Collection adds three themes, Soprano, Tenor and Bass, with Champagne Gold details. The most expensive indulgence is the Naim for Mulliner sound system, whose 21 speakers use technology derived from Focal’s Grand Utopia home speakers. On the Batur, this system previously cost £25,000, about €28,945.

Bentley’s wider message is clear. The Flying Spur must remain a car customers choose for more than acceleration. The colour palette includes more than 100 shades, the cabin offers more than 700 leather combinations and Mulliner stretches the scope for personalisation almost as far as the customer’s patience and budget will allow.

Why this model matters globally

The Flying Spur holds a particular place in Bentley’s range. The Bentayga brings volume, the Continental GT carries emotion, but the Flying Spur has to combine both: luxury saloon, driver’s car and hybrid technology. That explains why Bentley dared to alter its most recognisable visual element. The brand needs to show that tradition does not mean standing still.

Production begins at Crewe in September and the first cars will reach customers at the start of the fourth quarter of 2026. Orders are open, although Bentley has not yet released prices for every market.

Technical brief

The new Flying Spur drops its twin headlight front end and uses one main light unit on each side, the first time for a Bentley saloon since 1962.

The Flying Spur S returns with the High Performance Hybrid powertrain, producing 500 kW and 930 Nm, reaching 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds and a top speed of about 307 km/h.

The Flying Spur Speed develops 575 kW and 1000 Nm, accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds and can travel up to 76 km on electric power.

The 25.9 kWh battery charges at 11 kW in about 2 hours and 45 minutes.

The Mulliner Virtuoso Collection brings the 21 speaker Naim for Mulliner sound system, whose previous Batur price was £25,000, about €28,945.