You realize the sensation once you suppose you’ve got completed one thing sensible, then you definitely sit down and try it with contemporary eyes and understand that, not solely is it crap, nevertheless it was by no means actually a good suggestion within the first place? That was me, a few weeks in the past, as I used to be trying via the footage I shot whereas driving the 2021 Bentley Flying Spur V8. Sure, after seeing reactions to the automotive on social media, I truly thought it might be humorous to do a tongue-in-cheek bit the place I instructed that Bentley present homeowners with a characteristic designed to assist preserve “poor” individuals away.
It was a half-baked concept, conceived to be lighthearted and in a obscure nod to British humor. The purpose was to not make enjoyable of anyone’s monetary scenario (besides my very own, in a round-about self-deprecating means), however the product turned out a bit, nicely, cringe-inducing. Out of egocentric want to not lose the work that went into it (or one other alternative to speak about this beautiful automotive), I made a decision to repurpose it with some assist from “Dr.” Byron. As you possibly can see, he is doing home calls now.
I have been reviewing vehicles for greater than a decade now, and even with that a lot time beneath my belt, I can nonetheless rely on my palms the variety of really exceptional vehicles I’ve had the prospect to drive. This Flying Spur stands out as the costliest, essentially the most unique, and, nicely, just about simply essentially the most automotive I’ve ever skilled. As I alluded to in my preliminary write-up, that is the form of automotive that causes any person like me — an individual of comfortably modest means — to rethink even essentially the most basic features of an in any other case typical street journey.
Through the years, I’ve had individuals praise, degrade and in any other case query my life decisions based mostly on vehicles I barely put 100 miles on. It is a part of the gig. I used to be as soon as somewhat instantly approached and requested for cash whereas gassing up a 2012 Porsche Cayman; no “hi there,” no preamble, no sugar-coating. Simply, “Can I’ve some cash?”
So no, that tweet did not truly make me self-conscious about cruising round in such a useful and unique vehicle, however the mere act of driving it did, and the discomfort was even additional juiced by my data that what I used to be driving wasn’t even the “costly” Flying Spur. I discovered myself wanting to inform individuals, “Look, you actually should not be that impressed. That is the low-cost one.”
The query follows thusly: What is an inexpensive Bentley, and why does it must exist? If one can afford a $195,000 Bentley, one can in all probability afford a $215,000 Bentley. In spite of everything, you are solely speaking a few 10% markup for the 626-horsepower W12, and once you’re coping with multiples of six figures, this appears comparatively trivial. But when one dimension really matches all on this class, why provide one other?
Basically, it boils right down to the kind of possession expertise you are in search of. The adage is that you simply drive a Bentley, however you are pushed in a Rolls-Royce. We are able to hijack that saying for our functions by eliminating the Curler altogether and simply speaking engines. The V8 is the motive force’s Flying Spur. Do not consider me? Right here it’s, straight from the supply:
“Whereas having much less final energy and torque than a W12, the Flying Spur V8 is, nevertheless, barely extra driver-focused,” Bentley instructed us, “as a result of characterful sound of the engine, which is tuned to be extra outstanding, and the heightened dealing with really feel linked to the load discount over the entrance axle.”
“Some prospects additionally really feel the W12 gives greater than they want and for whom a V8 is extra acceptable. The truth that it has a barely extra accessible worth level than a W12 is, as you noticed, a comparatively small element because the hole isn’t large. The selection actually comes down to private choice – final energy and torque, delivered in a super-refined and discreet means, or a extra overtly sporting character.”
“Discreet” might be pushing it. As I discovered firsthand, you may haven’t any scarcity of consideration (wished or in any other case) within the Flying Spur, whatever the engine you select, however I do purchase the notion that, for a subset of patrons, a acutely aware option to mitigate consumption (or not less than make a present of doing so) could possibly be well worth the tradeoff in energy. Personally, I believe I would nonetheless go for the W12. In fantasyland.
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