As a result, says van Braeckel, the Continental Flying Spur ''shares the clean and muscular appearance of the Continental GT coupe with a short front overhang and dominant matrix radiator grille. Inside the cabin, the car has a similarly stunning appearance with a beautiful interior that will stand as a benchmark thanks to its quality and craftsmanship.''
That short front overhang is the result of a long wheelbase, and that should mean lots of rear legroom for passengers as well as ''an impressive canvas on which Bentley's interior design team could set to work.''
So customers will have the option of a four-seat layout with a central console between two electrically-powered rear seats, or a five-seat cabin with a full-width rear seat.
Leather or wood veneers on every interior surface ''combine to give a traditional yet contemporary environment for the driver and passengers alike,'' says van Braeckel.
Continental Flying Spur owners will want for nothing, Paefgen promises, whether they're behind the wheel or enjoying the ride as a passenger. He is determined that buyers of this new Bentley would ''immediately appreciate the generous standard specification.''
Continental Flying Spur has all the technology and equipment that Bentley customers want and need, Paefgen says. If nothing else this attitude is a time-saving device for customers, he says, since ''they will not have to trawl through an options list for hours with their dealer because everything is included. What they will enjoy, however, is the experience of tailoring the car to their taste and style.''
Flying Spur owners also won't have to do much waiting around at stoplights and other impedimenta, Paefgen promises, since with ''552-hp V-12 at your disposal and an advanced all-wheel drive system to ensure that power is delivered in a controlled and measured fashion, the Continental Flying Spur has the performance to match its appearance.''
As with every Bentley, the chairman says, the Flying Spur is a driver's car first and foremost. ''In common with the Continental GT coupe, the car's extremely stiff steel chassis allows the advanced air suspension system to regulate safely the handling and balance of a four-door with supercar performance. However, such is the breadth of its dynamic capability that the Continental Flying Spur also delivers supreme comfort for long, relaxed journeys.''
Over the course of its development the car was subjected to a rigorous drive program that saw it complete about 1.5 million km on proving grounds, test tracks and roads across the world. As a result, says Dr Ulrich Eichhorn, the member of the VW board for engineering, the Flying Spur ''is a car whose breadth and capability, in any weather, on any road surface, is simply awesome.''
A Bentley engine is unlike any other in the world, says Eichhorn, and the Continental Flying Spur's is no exception. Maximum torque is available from only 1600 rpm and ''continues unabated throughout the powerband, meaning the driver can call upon exceptional reserves of power in an instant.''
Continental Flying Spur's permanent all-wheel drive system ensures that even in poor weather and road conditions ''the awesome power and torque remain accessible to the driver without the constant intervention of the traction control system.''
The advanced six-speed transmission allows the driver to use the gearbox as a conventional automatic or opt to change gears using either the gearlever or the paddles mounted behind the wheel. Whatever mode the gearbox is set to, says Eichhorn, ''the powertrain operates with seamless efficiency and provides brilliant shift quality. In its four-door application it has also been extensively recalibrated to provide almost imperceptible shifts when being used in a more relaxed fashion.''
That short front overhang is the result of a long wheelbase, and that should mean lots of rear legroom for passengers as well as ''an impressive canvas on which Bentley's interior design team could set to work.''
So customers will have the option of a four-seat layout with a central console between two electrically-powered rear seats, or a five-seat cabin with a full-width rear seat.
Leather or wood veneers on every interior surface ''combine to give a traditional yet contemporary environment for the driver and passengers alike,'' says van Braeckel.
Continental Flying Spur owners will want for nothing, Paefgen promises, whether they're behind the wheel or enjoying the ride as a passenger. He is determined that buyers of this new Bentley would ''immediately appreciate the generous standard specification.''
Continental Flying Spur has all the technology and equipment that Bentley customers want and need, Paefgen says. If nothing else this attitude is a time-saving device for customers, he says, since ''they will not have to trawl through an options list for hours with their dealer because everything is included. What they will enjoy, however, is the experience of tailoring the car to their taste and style.''
Flying Spur owners also won't have to do much waiting around at stoplights and other impedimenta, Paefgen promises, since with ''552-hp V-12 at your disposal and an advanced all-wheel drive system to ensure that power is delivered in a controlled and measured fashion, the Continental Flying Spur has the performance to match its appearance.''
As with every Bentley, the chairman says, the Flying Spur is a driver's car first and foremost. ''In common with the Continental GT coupe, the car's extremely stiff steel chassis allows the advanced air suspension system to regulate safely the handling and balance of a four-door with supercar performance. However, such is the breadth of its dynamic capability that the Continental Flying Spur also delivers supreme comfort for long, relaxed journeys.''
Over the course of its development the car was subjected to a rigorous drive program that saw it complete about 1.5 million km on proving grounds, test tracks and roads across the world. As a result, says Dr Ulrich Eichhorn, the member of the VW board for engineering, the Flying Spur ''is a car whose breadth and capability, in any weather, on any road surface, is simply awesome.''
A Bentley engine is unlike any other in the world, says Eichhorn, and the Continental Flying Spur's is no exception. Maximum torque is available from only 1600 rpm and ''continues unabated throughout the powerband, meaning the driver can call upon exceptional reserves of power in an instant.''
Continental Flying Spur's permanent all-wheel drive system ensures that even in poor weather and road conditions ''the awesome power and torque remain accessible to the driver without the constant intervention of the traction control system.''
The advanced six-speed transmission allows the driver to use the gearbox as a conventional automatic or opt to change gears using either the gearlever or the paddles mounted behind the wheel. Whatever mode the gearbox is set to, says Eichhorn, ''the powertrain operates with seamless efficiency and provides brilliant shift quality. In its four-door application it has also been extensively recalibrated to provide almost imperceptible shifts when being used in a more relaxed fashion.''