Before all is revealed next month, the marque has teased all-wheel steering capabilities for the new Bentley Flying Spur luxury saloon
The latest in Bentley’s slew of teaser images for the new Flying Spur has given us a better look at the model’s design, as well as confirmation of all-wheel steering. Previous images revealed that the model would feature a ‘flying B’ bonnet ornament, a feature previously seen exclusively on the Mulsanne, and the world’s first use of three dimensional leather in a car.
The pictures we’ve already snapped of the next generation Bentley Flying Spur as it underwent winter testing last year give a fair bit away. Despite its black camouflage, you can make out major elements of the big saloon’s design, which is heavily influenced by the new Bentley Continental GT. The British manufacturer is yet to reveal when we can expect its saloon in production-ready form, but it could arrive by the year’s end.
Obvious design parallels can be drawn between the prototype and the Continental GT, especially when viewing the front end. Most obvious is the grille and quad-headlight combination that mimics the GT, however the bumper section sports a different design with a smaller surface area attributed to air inlet elements.
Another Continental GT-derived design feature is the swage line running down the flank, although it’s less pronounced than on the GT. Starting behind the outer headlights, it extends the full length of the Flying Spur, instead of stopping at the flared wheelarches. Unsurprisingly, the wheelbase has been stretched to accommodate the rear set of doors and necessary extra legroom sought by those in the luxury limousine market.
Moving around the back there are a few subtle changes over the outgoing FlyingSpur that we can glean from the images. Surprisingly, the rear-lights look similar to the those fitted to the original Flying Spur, taller and squarer in shape, as opposed to the slimmer items found on the second generation model – although it could just be the disguise distorting our view. Elsewhere, the number plate has been repositioned from the boot to the bumper on the prototype but otherwise, the twin-exit exhaust setup has been retained.
We’ve seen very little about of the interior, but recent teaser pictures have revealed the third-generation model will feature the world’s first three-dimensional, diamond-pattern leather, leading the way for its presumably high tech, luxurious cabin.
The new Flying Spur will sit on the MSB-F platform co-developed by Bentley and Porsche. It already underpins the Panamera and new Continental GT and could inform the engine line-up, too. The outgoing Flying Spur is available with a V8 or W12 engine so the forthcoming model is likely to follow suit, borrowing the Porsche Panamera’s V8 and the GT’s W12. However, Bentley could offer a dieseltoo, possibly the one which is currently found in the Bentayga.
The full reveal is set for June 11.
This article originally appeared at evo.co.uk
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