Bentley Flying Spur

[Ken_Code]

As per another thread of mine I’m thinking of getting a Bentayga, and took my wife down to have a look in the Newcastle dealership today.

They had a couple of Flying Spurs in there, which isn’t a car I’ve ever noticed before, and I thought that they were really nice.

I think they were in a “sporty” spec rather than walnut and cigar lighters, but all of a sudden I seem to have hit the age where one makes sense.

[fflump]

The latest version is very nice and seems a cut above the Bentayga on the interior . Make sense if you don’t need an SUV

[Zio Di Roma]

Ken_Code said:

As per another thread of mine I’m thinking of getting a Bentayga, and took my wife down to have a look in the Newcastle dealership today.

They had a couple of Flying Spurs in there, which isn’t a car I’ve ever noticed before, and I thought that they were really nice.

I think they were in a “sporty” spec rather than walnut and cigar lighters, but all of a sudden I seem to have hit the age where one makes sense.

I agree.

Choice of engine isn’t straightforward though.

I assumed the W12 would be the go-to, but in the Spur it seems a less good engine than in my Continental Speed.

The V8 is better.

The hybrid surprised me. I don’t like electric cars but at low speed the silent electric ride makes sense in a spur. On the open road the V6 engine isn’t awful.

Problem is, most of the cars coming to market with the specifications I like are W12s, because they were specced by people for whom the bottom line was unimportant.

[Ken_Code]

It’s thrown a bit of a spanner in the works of what to choose for the family car.

I think this time round it’s going to be a RR again, as the big windows and bright interior are good for avoiding travel sickness for my young children, but it’s tempting still.

When did the current model come out?

[Zio Di Roma]

2020 I think.

We have a Range as the family truck. The Spur would not have a big enough boot for airport runs.

There in lies the rub. Much as I want a Spur, it doesn’t quite fit in.

It doesn’t do things better than other cars we already have. We would need to get rid of a car that does something better than the Spur does, in order to buy a Spur. Having one just because it is nice is not a consideration for us.

What we really want is for Bentley to make the next generation of the Bentayga a good looking car.

Range Rover is also a problem. They aren’t what they were. They were once a bit problematic but good value. I don’t think they are anymore.

I don’t see any car in the market that fulfils the family truck role perfectly for us.

[fflump]

Zio Di Roma said:

2020 I think.

We have a Range as the family truck. The Spur would not have a big enough boot for airport runs.

There in lies the rub. Much as I want a Spur, it doesn’t quite fit in.

It doesn’t do things better than other cars we already have. We would need to get rid of a car that does something better than the Spur does, in order to buy a Spur. Having one just because it is nice is not a consideration for us.

What we really want is for Bentley to make the next generation of the Bentayga a good looking car.

Range Rover is also a problem. They aren’t what they were. They were once a bit problematic but good value. I don’t think they are anymore.

I don’t see any car in the market that fulfils the family truck role perfectly for us.

I really wanted a Spur but you are right the boot is not large. My solution has been to buy the Spur, get the wife to pack less, and bribe the youngest child to tolerate the middle seat. If all else fails I'll get a roof box but it's all worth from where I'm sitting.

[Zio Di Roma]

fflump said:

Zio Di Roma said:

2020 I think.

We have a Range as the family truck. The Spur would not have a big enough boot for airport runs.

There in lies the rub. Much as I want a Spur, it doesn’t quite fit in.

It doesn’t do things better than other cars we already have. We would need to get rid of a car that does something better than the Spur does, in order to buy a Spur. Having one just because it is nice is not a consideration for us.

What we really want is for Bentley to make the next generation of the Bentayga a good looking car.

Range Rover is also a problem. They aren’t what they were. They were once a bit problematic but good value. I don’t think they are anymore.

I don’t see any car in the market that fulfils the family truck role perfectly for us.

I really wanted a Spur but you are right the boot is not large. My solution has been to buy the Spur, get the wife to pack less, and bribe the youngest child to tolerate the middle seat. If all else fails I'll get a roof box but it's all worth from where I'm sitting.

I was with you until the bit about the wife packing less. I actually go on city breaks alone because she cannot live out of a carry-on suitcase for two nights. This would be fine if she had complex medical needs, an iron lung for example. But no, it’s outfits.

[Ken_Code]

It’s the things for the children that take space with us. We live between several homes and with their stuff and whatever I’m shifting around we fill the Range Rover.

[fflump]

Ken_Code said:

It’s the things for the children that take space with us. We live between several homes and with their stuff and whatever I’m shifting around we fill the Range Rover.

Luckily all ours are out of car seats and associated bulky buggies and the like, but I take your point they are a compromise too far for some.

[Ken_Code]

As per other threads I’m wanting to go down to two cars at my main place, a family one and something sporty.

As the children are still little I’m thinking of swapping my McLaren for a Portofino so we can all go out together, but then get tempted by something a bit sporty for the family car which could see me keeping the McLaren.

First-world problems, I know.

And then I find myself wondering about getting something ludicrous like this Bentayga…

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202306088...

[fflump]

Ken_Code said:

As per other threads I’m wanting to go down to two cars at my main place, a family one and something sporty.

As the children are still little I’m thinking of swapping my McLaren for a Portofino so we can all go out together, but then get tempted by something a bit sporty for the family car which could see me keeping the McLaren.

First-world problems, I know.

And then I find myself wondering about getting something ludicrous like this Bentayga…

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202306088...

A bit drug dealery for my tastes but it's a lot of the car for the money!

[Ken_Code]

fflump said:

A bit drug dealery for my tastes but it's a lot of the car for the money!

Yes, utterly ridiculous, but I sort of like it.

[Zippee]

I really like the flying spur, interest was piqued from watching Reacher
Keep looking at this one but I feel I'm not quite old enough yet and financially it would be a big stretch which isn't great given potential running costs
https://www.johnhollandsales.co.uk/stock-list/1699...

[fflump]

Zippee said:

I really like the flying spur, interest was piqued from watching Reacher
Keep looking at this one but I feel I'm not quite old enough yet and financially it would be a big stretch which isn't great given potential running costs
https://www.johnhollandsales.co.uk/stock-list/1699...

You could dip your toe in the water metaphorically by getting a 2nd generation Flying Spur. Around half of the cost of a gen 3. As always a Certified by Bentley warranty is desirable.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403137...

PS. Not enamoured with the interior of that John Holland example. Looks like a homage to the E-Class!