The Flying Spur has become a bit of a forgotten model for Bentley. In fact, Bentley only managed to sell 253 of them in all of 2017. Since being detached from the Continental name, the Flying Spur has struggled to find an identity. The Continental GT has already been completely refreshed, but we are still waiting for the next-generation Flying Spur. According to Autocar's Mark Tisshaw, a new, reinvented Flying Spur is on its way for the 2019 model year, and it will be the last Bentley launched before the company embraces electrification.
While the next generation Continental GT and Flying Spur will almost certainly have some form of hybridization, the 2019 Flying Spur will likely arrive with old school gas engines. The latest Continental GT uses a new version of the company's 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 producing 626 horsepower and 664 lb-ft. There will likely be a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 model, though it has yet to be announced. If the 2019 Flying Spur doesn't have any form of electrification, we wouldn't be surprised if it shared engines with the Continental GT. Bentley is targeting models like the Rolls-Royce Ghost and Mercedes-Maybach S600, both of which are powered by turbocharged V12 engines.
The new Flying Spur will reportedly possess similar body styling to the new Continental GT, albeit with more distinct surfaces and sharper creases. Bentley wants to be sure this Flying Spur is easily differentiated from the Continental, so there is no longer any confusion between the two. In addition to the W12 and V8 engines, the Flying Spur may also receive a V6 plug-in hybrid drivetrain later in its life, though it likely won't arrive at the car's launch. Once the Flying Spur is completed, Bentley will focus on the next generation of its design language, which will fully embrace electrification. This Flying Spur will truly be the end of an era.
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