by Evan Weiner

What do you think of that new Chevy saloon?  Okay, something is wrong here.  Sure, some of you know we’re talking about a sedan, essentially a four-door car, but the term literally keeps most of us in the U.S. in the dark.  You know what Bentley would say to those people? Pop the bonnet and shut the boot while you’re at it.  These British nuances define Bentley saloons, a class of four-door automobile that’s trumped its competition decades over and have sustained a brand that is arguably one of the strongest and most revered.  Something is going right here, so let’s get to the bottom of it.  Our Continental Flying Spur is an absolute beauty, but let’s take a look at its ancestry a bit before we delve into the modern Bentley saloon.

Go back a few rounds of ownership and you’ll see the closest relationship between Rolls-Royce and Bentley ever, and probably forever.  Produced in Crewe and eventually financed by Vickers, a British engineering firm who’s name is now extinct, the Bentley saloons of the 70’s and early 80’s were, well, forgettable.  Saying this is almost painful seeing as how exciting and drop-dead gorgeous the new models are.  Often times indistinguishable from its brethren at Rolls, Bentley saloons were in a major sales slump during this time, with less than 5% of combined production carrying the Bentley badge; yikes.  Crewe didn’t give up though, that’s not how Bentley operates.  Drawing on Bentley’s rich sporting heritage, brand rejuvenation was well underway and laden with success; that measly 5% production ratio was even with Rolls by 1991.  By this time, Bentley was bigger and badder than ever.  Venerable saloons like the Brooklands and its high-performance Turbo variants were cars that portrayed a clearly different goal than Rolls-Royce.  Sure, Roller provided them the famous six and three quarter V8, but the driving experience was completely different.  Just look at both cars in the eye: While you wanted to pinch Rolls on the cheek of its cushy smile, you shook the Bentley’s hand and hoped it wouldn’t hurt.

At this point it’s important to note the aura of this ‘modern’ class of Bentley in the 90’s.  Aside from the invigorating smell of dozens of hides of scandinavian leather and glossed sheen from the finest and most exotic veneers, there is an even more subtle panache inherent in the Bentley saloon.  Push button door handles, bountiful chrome, length, fat tires and more, these cars had weight to them, literally and figuratively.  As if etched from a single slab of steel, there is an aura of strength and brute force about these cars, achieving this while maintaining incomparable elegance.  Driving and even riding in a Bentley saloon is a state of mind all its own.  With Volkswagen’s leadership, this state of mind would continue as the brand fully modernized and expanded its modern lineup into what we’d consider the modern Bentley of the new millennium.

There is no better car to represent the modern Bentley saloon than our Continental Flying Spur.  One of the most notable breaks from past saloons is the dropping of the six and three quarter V8 for a six-liter VW Twin-Turbo W12 that produces 552 horsepower at 6100 revs and 479 ft. lbs. at a relaxed 1600 spins.  Don’t worry though, you’ll find this break from tradition more than welcome as you reach nearly 200 mph and suddenly realize you’re in a saloon with the most advanced luxury features and a set of clubs in the back; at this point you know what this car is all about.  Styling is equally as intriguing.  Ditching the attractive but boxy scheme of Bentley’s past, our silver Continental Flying Spur has a simple and sleek design that is unmistakingly modern.  A tasteful mesh grille and quad headlight set up adorn the front, with a discrete chrome strip leading you to the rear where you’ll find the prominent Bentley wing badge and a set of exotic and sleek wide oval exhaust tips.  Hop inside and you’re sucked into a black hole of luxury.  The bright and warm veneers that stretch along the doors, down the center column, into the backseat and fully covering the steering wheel are stunning.  Lay them against the soft black leather trim and you have yourself a uniquely luxurious and bad-ass interior, for lack of a better word.

All in all, every time you look, drive or ride in our Continental Flying Spur you’re reminded of the rich history and graceful evolution of the Bentley four-door, the quintessential saloon.

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