BENTLEY UPS ANTE WITH NEW 771BHP FLYING SPUR

Latest saloon is firm's hottest yet, thanks to PHEV V8 and tuned chassis

- CHARLIE MARTIN

The new Flying Spur is Bentley's most powerful four-door saloon yet courtesy of the same electrified set-up as in the Continental GT, which replaces its predecessor's W12 engine.

Its plug-in hybrid powertrain pairs a 592bhp 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 with a gearbox-mounted electric motor for a combined 738lb ft and 771bhp - 145bhp more than the discontinued W12.

Bentley has opted to use the electric motor instead of cylinder-deactivation technology, with the V8 switching off at low loads, such as coasting at A-road speeds. The Flying Spur can also run solely in electric mode at up to 87mph or three-quarters throttle and the 187bhp motor is claimed to have "more than enough to keep up with the traffic in most situations".