What's the news?
Bentley has bestowed the 'S' high-performance treatment on its Flying Spur V8 saloon. The V8 S will debut at Geneva, before first customer deliveries commence in summer.
Exterior
Darker highlights on the Flying Spur's elegant exterior mark out the more powerful V8 model. The matrix grille is black as standard with a body-coloured insert, while the rear diffuser goes 'Beluga gloss' to give it a bit more presence. Although the 20-inch open spoke alloys might be a better identifier, these wheels shared with the V8 S model of the Continental.
Still can't tell it apart from your common or garden Spur V8? Then the 'V8 S' badges on the haunches might help; you're unlikely to spot the V8 S treadplates which are hidden until the doors are open. However, if the owner is a little more discerning, further black highlights can be optioned up - such as dark-tinted light clusters all round, black gloss door mirror covers and a set of Mulliner Driving Specification 21-inch rims, with a black and bright machined six-spoke face.
Interior
Piano-black wood veneers and a three-spoke sports steering wheel make an appearance in the V8 S, while both the gear lever and the shift paddles on the wheel are finished in knurled metal. The V8 S has a two-tone colour split, too, which sees the seats contrasting with the roof centre bow. For a fee, 'V8 S' headrest stitching is available.
Mechanicals
The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, a gem of an engine, is given a further 21hp. That results in 528hp overall, coupled to 680Nm from just 1,700rpm. Acceleration is suitably brisk, despite the car's size, with 0.3s taken off the regular V8's 0-100km/h time, the S doing the sprint in 4.9 seconds. Its top speed is a colossal 306km/h.
Bentley claims the extra power doesn't affect the V8's ability to do 25.9mpg (10.9 litres/100km) or emit just 254g/km CO2, with the supposed range of the car in excess of 520 miles on a tank. Like the regular Spur V8, the S has variable displacement, which shuts down four of its cylinders when cruising to reduce fuel consumption, while the 528hp model gets revised engine and transmission calibrations to make it a bit sharper to drive. It also has sportier suspension and ESC settings, although its four-wheel drive system remains 40:60 rear-biased as usual. Adventurous owners can spec up a set of carbon ceramic brakes, with either red or black callipers.
Anything else?
In the wider V8 and W12 Flying Spur range, Bentley has added some extra optional features, such as a semi-aniline hide on the W12 and V8 S, to ramp up the car's opulence levels.