2009 Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed "Nothing exceeds like excess"

Introduction

In the spirit of "Nothing exceeds like excess," Bentley has introduced the 2009 Continental Flying Spur Speed, a more athletic and extravagantly appointed variant of the four-door Continental Flying Spur. Priced around $218,000, the Speed adds about $27,000 on top of the "regular" Flying Spur's price tag. In the game of ultraluxury one-upmanship, this new Bentley is charging out of the gates.

For the extra coin, buyers receive more power and sharper handling. The Flying Spur Speed generates 600 horsepower (47 hp more than the standard Flying Spur), thanks to lightweight lower-friction engine components and a new engine management system. Cornering prowess has been advanced thanks to a lower ride height, higher-performance Pirelli P Zero tires and a stiffer suspension. The Speed also receives subtle external styling cues to differentiate it from the Flying Spur, with dark-tinted chrome grilles and wider sports exhaust tailpipes. The exhaust is also tuned for a more sporty growl.

At the lofty, narrow end of the luxury car spectrum, the 2009 Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed slots in above the more agile Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG. Both are drivers' cars, but the Bentley bests the Benz in terms of sheer opulence and prestige. Also included in this exclusive group are the Maybach 57 and Rolls-Royce Phantom, but these modern limousines lack the Speed's performance and are significantly more expensive. Given that all of these ultraluxury sedans feature the best of German engineering, there is really no loser among them, leaving a buyer's decision down to which interpretation of luxury is preferred.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2009 Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed is a high-performance ultraluxury sedan that is offered in one very well-appointed trim level. Standard features include 20-inch wheels; an adjustable air suspension; bi-xenon headlamps; four-zone automatic climate control; heated rear seats with lumbar massage; 16-way power front seats with heating, cooling and lumbar massage; keyless ignition and entry; a sunroof and "Speed" scuff plates on each doorsill. Also standard are a 12-speaker sound system with a six-CD changer, satellite radio, a navigation system, Bluetooth phone connectivity and diamond-quilted leather upholstery that requires a herd-thinning 11 cowhides.

In addition to the above-listed features, the Flying Spur Speed also incorporates items from the Flying Spur's Mulliner Driving Specification package, which includes contrasting stitching, nostalgic seat piping, drilled alloy sport pedals, a rear seat refrigerated bottle cooler and lamb's-wool carpeting.

Options include power-adjustable rear seats with a full rear center console, a three-passenger rear seat, a rear seat entertainment system with dual screens, flip-down wooden picnic tables for rear passengers, a heated steering wheel, a back-up camera, a power opening and closing trunk, adaptive cruise control, a 15-speaker Naim sound system and iPod integration.

Powertrains and Performance

The 2009 Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed is powered by a 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 that produces an astounding 600 hp and 553 pound-feet of torque. Just as impressive as the output numbers is the fact that peak torque is reached at an incredibly low 1,750 rpm. Power is channeled through a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control. These features, along with the Speed's all-wheel-drive system, combine to propel all 5,379 pounds of this Bentley to 60 mph in a scant 4.6 seconds. Equally impressive is the top speed of 200 mph.

Safety

Taking into account the considerable performance, safety equipment is fittingly formidable. Bentley equipped the 2009 Continental Flying Spur Speed with a full complement of safety features that include side and side curtain airbags for front and rear seats and a rear passenger sensing system that automatically raises the headrests to ensure the best possible protection against whiplash injuries. Antilock brakes and stability control are also standard. Carbon ceramic brakes are available as an option.

Interior Design and Special Features

The Continental Flying Spur Speed's leather-and-lumber-lined cabin won't win any awards from environmentalists or animal rights activists, but it's still one of the most exquisitely constructed automotive interiors on the market today. There's a charming old-world feel to the whole affair, highlighted by push-pull vent controls, a Breitling timepiece, and switches and levers constructed of real metal. Unfortunately, the infotainment system is old-world as well -- it's a bit dated, and it shows in the undersized display screen and nonintuitive interface. The rear seats lack the adjustment and advanced features (such as cooling) available in competing sedans. Rear legroom, too, is comparatively scarce.

Driving Impressions

With sharper handling and more power, the 2009 Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed outperforms the already impressive standard Flying Spur in every way. It delivers the sensation of low-level flight rather than cruising down a long stretch of highway, thanks to its road-smoothing suspension and nearly silent cabin. Improbably, it also tackles back-road curves like a much smaller car.

Top 5 luxury Cars to Drive

2009 Rolls-Royce Phantom

Ah, the Phantom. This Rolls-Royce is an attention-getter if there ever was one, a gigantic 5800-lb. sedan that has become the ride of choice for pro athletes, celebrities and pop stars, not your typical old-school Rolls buyers. These nouveau riche folks must be on to something, because beneath the aluminum skin the Phantom truly is a great car, tuned with a magic carpet ride that's not the least bit wallowy when the road starts to turn left and right. Powering this lavishly appointed sedan is a huge V-12 engine that's perfect for the part — the Phantom always has power in reserve, as any dignified car should.

That dignified nature carries over inside the Phantom, where this English 5-seat sedan is covered in the finest hides and veneers, and those in back will want to take off their shoes, just so they can feel the softness of the lamb's wool carpeting.

With its mix of bold in-your-face styling and a classically hand-crafted interior that has a thoroughly modern multifunction controller for the navigation system, stereo and climate control, the Rolls-Royce Phantom is an artful blend of the then and now. Simply put, there is no other car quite like it.

Five Reasons To Buy:

1. It's a Rolls

2. Serenely smooth V-12

3. Quiet

4. Makes a bold statement

5. Opulent interior

2009 Lexus LS 460 L

The LS model put Lexus on the map in the late 1980s, back when it was a brash newcomer trying to prove it could compete with large sedans from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. It did so, with ease. And now, roughly 20 years later, the LS remains the company's flagship, with the 460 L long-wheelbase model doing a great job of competing with the Germans and keeping the cruel world at bay.

That's right, this Lexus is an isolation chamber, incredibly quiet inside and smoothing out all but the harshest bumps in the road. What's more, it's a spacious car, especially in the back seat, where three adults can sit in good comfort, all while being treated to some rich sounds from the Mark Levinson audio system, which is way better than the stereo in most homes. This car exudes quality inside, and the powerful V-8 is strong yet silent, just the type of engine you want in a luxury ride.

The Levinson sound system is part of a $4630 option package that includes the "Advance Parking Guidance System." Yes, this Lexus will parallel park itself, provided you line the car up correctly and operate the brakes as instructed. We think it's a bit gimmicky, but that's the only aspect of this incredibly opulent Lexus that makes us furl our brow.

Five Reasons To Buy:

1. Lexus quality

2. Extremely quiet

3. Mark Levinson sound

4. Lexus Link communications

5. Power rear seats with optional Luxury Package

2009 Audi A8 L

Audi's long-wheebase A8 L model is for the guy in the know, that person who wants a big luxury sedan but wants to be a little different. So what makes the A8 so different? For starters, its whole chassis is made of aluminum, which saves weight and greatly adds to the car's agility. Moreover, it has Quattro all-wheel drive, which makes this sedan your best friend in areas such as the Northeast, where there's real weather, and on that ski trip you're planning to Vail.

This German-built sedan also has plenty of power, thanks to a direct-injected V-8 with 350 bhp. And when you order the optional $4300 Sport package, the A8 is fitted with 20-in. wheels and a leather-covered sport steering wheel whose shift paddles help keep the driver's hands on the steering wheel, where they should always be. Other options worth considering are the $6400 Leather Appointment upgrade, which makes an already handsome interior that much richer, and the Bang & Olufsen sound system. At $6300, the system is not cheap, but it turns your A8 into a concert hall on wheels, and it's especially fun to watch the tweeters pop up out of the dash.

What's perhaps most special about the A8 is its rarity. You won't see yourself coming and going in the Audi A8, and that's exactly how owners like it to be.

Five Reasons To Buy:

1. High technology

2. Quattro all-wheel drive

3. Beautiful interior

4. Bred on the Autobahn

5. Exclusivity

2009 Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed

So, you're in love with the Bentley Continental GT but practical concerns mean that you need a pair of rear doors? Well, the Continental Flying Spur Speed is your answer, a decadently luxurious sedan that's among the fastest cars in the world, with a top speed of 200 mph.

That kind of speed is possible only with a powerful engine, and the twin-turbo W-12 in this all-wheel-drive Bentley is just that, a smooth gem that puts out 600 bhp. But contrary to what you might think, this Bentley is a gentle beast around town, aided by a smooth-shifting 6-speed automatic transmission.

As you'd expect of this expensive British ride, the interior is as rich and warm as an old English study, replete with lots of burl walnut trim and the finest leather hides. Of note, it takes 11 hides to do the interior of a Flying Spur sedan, and the leather comes from Scandinavia where barbed wire that might scar the product is not used.

That's indicative of the attention to detail that goes into this Bentley, which blends the engineering might of Volkswagen (Bentley's owner) with the finest in English hand-craftsmanship. Indeed, the Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed is one of the world's finest (and fastest) sedans.

Five Reasons To Buy:

1. Beautiful styling

2. Sumptuous interior

3. Fast, Fast, Fast

4. Unique W-12 engine

5. Available radar cruise control

2009 BMW 750Li

For years, perhaps decades now, BMW's slogan has been "The Ultimate Driving Machine." For the most part, the Bavarian company has been true to its word. And even though this new 7 Series sedan has a softer, more comfortable ride than the outgoing 7, this new BMW still has an agility that belies its ubstantial 4735-lb. weight.

And beneath the more conservative skin, the new 7 Series is a technological tour de force, with electronic controls that monitor and adjust several aspects of the car, such as throttle response, power-steering assist and even how quickly the standard stability control system kicks in to keep the car on its desired path. Let's just say it all works very well, and the Munich-based company has managed to this without removing the mechanical feel so cherished by BMW drivers.

On duty under the aluminum hood is a twin-turbo V-8, an engine that propels the 750Li to a limited top speed of 150, which this car could manage all day, provided you're in Germany and traveling on the Autobahn. An option worth considering is the $4900 Sport package, which actually steers the rear wheels a tiny amount in corners for added stability. And if you're a tech-head, the $2600 Night Vision camera will provide hours of fun. But with this being a BMW, the sporty overall driving experience is what's most impressive about this large sedan.

Five Reasons To Buy:

1. Still a driver's car

2. Potent twin-turbo V-8

3. Loaded with technology

4. Optional Rear and side-view cameras

5. Available head-up display

2009 Bentley Continental GTC - Overall Specification

upon which it's based, if only slightly so. It has a longer rear deck to stow the top, which opens or closes in under 25 seconds.

As with the other Continentals, the standard car is powered by parent company VW's 6.0 liter W12 twin-turbo engine, good for 552 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 479 lb-ft of torque at 1,600 rpm. Top speed is down slightly when compared to the coupe, and matches that of the sedan, at 195 mph.

This power is transferred to all four wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission and fuel economy, as estimated by the EPA, is 10 mpg in the city and 17 mpg on the highway.



Standard equipment on the GTC includes twin HID headlights with washer jets, 19-inch wheels and tires, a tire pressure monitoring system, cruise control, keyless entry and ignition, rain-sensing windshield wipers and a choice of 16 colors for the body and five colors for the fabric top.

On the inside, one has a choice of 17 colors for the leather-appointed interior and matching carpets and seatbelts, eight color choices for the top's headliner, there are steering-column mounted shift paddles, a chrome wind deflector, a DVD navigation system, Sirius satellite radio, a six-CD changer in the glove compartment and voice dialing through the integrated Bluetooth system. The front seats feature memory and heat settings, as do the two rear seats, which are split with a center console. The trunk is power opening and closing. A ski-pass through in the rear seat.



Lumbar massage in the front seats is optional on both models, as is a rearview camera, a space-saver spare tire instead of the tire inflation and repair kit, five styles of 19-inch wheels and one 20-inch rim option.

A selection of steering wheels, interior trims and leather coverings round out the options.

Base Price: $197,500

Drivetrain: All-Wheel Drive

Curb Weight (lbs): 5456

City (MPG): 10

Hwy (MPG): 17

Horsepower: 552 @ 6100

Torque (lb-ft): 479 @ 1600

Wheelbase (in.): 108

Length (in.): 189

Width (in.): 75.4

Height (in.): 55.0

2010 Bentley Azure T legendary “B with wings”

Based on Azure model, the Bentley Azure T offers a wide palette of discrete properties of the body, which pronounce even more the power and announce some potential in sport performance. Through the key elements that describe it, our attention is drown by the 20 inches aroid rims that are made from two pieces and 5 spokes also the air scoops “Le Mans” placed on the front wings.

Other standard characteristic from Azure are available such as standard option like the radiator grid, the lower grid painted in dark colors, the tank cover “Jewel” and side mirrors in the same color as the body.
Just like Bentley Brooklands, Azure T approaches the legendary “B with wings”. For the concept of the car we have to thank the artist F. Gordon Crosby, this emblem was mounted for the first time on the Bentley cars on the 8 liters engine in 1930.

With the exterior lines that reveal visual elements just like the Bentley Mk.6 from 1946, Azure was welcome with enthusiasm in 2005 in Los Angeles. Now with the preparing for the launch of Azure T in Los Angeles, Raul Pires, the director of the design department of the body from Bentley Motors a notice:
” The proportions of Azure have offer us a base idea to create the new Azure T. The bold wings on the rear and her “top model” body have inspired our designers to reinterpret the convertible Bentley.

Exceptional lines of the rims go together with the trunk line that sows us that this one is smaller and younger, but makes room to a round dash board and is in a hors shoe form. This elegant form is a smile for the first Bentley built at Crewe, The Mk 6 model, and the main effect is a discreet illusion of the power and performance that lies in the body of Azure T.

The subtlest chrome elements pronounce the fluid lines of Bentley Azure T, and also include the frame of the lights, the exhaust end and the fine vanillin’s that are over the car.

Bentley invest time and effort to transform the hood of Bentley Azure T a hood that has it looks but it is also functional. It’s made from 3 layers of calico, the hood it is hydraulic opened, with a simple touch of a button. The roof, when is acted, elegant rearrange itself in 25 seconds also with a simple touch of a button. Being stored in a independent zone, the roof dos not change the space of the trunk, trunk that is design to hold 2 equipment of golf and a hand bag.

2010 Bentley Azure T Technical Specifications

Drivetrain
Transmission	6-speed ZF automatic gearbox with semi-automatic and sports functions
Layout	Front Engine, RWD
Steering	Speed sensitive, hydraulic power assisted, rack and pinion steering system
Engine
Engine Type	Twin Turbocharged V8
Displacement	6.76 liters
Horsepower	500 bhp / 507 PS / 373 kW @ 4,200 rpm
Torque	738 lb ft / 1,000 Nm @ 3,200 rpm
Compression Ratio	7.8:1
Exterior
Curb Weight	5699 lbs
Length	5410 mm (212.60 in)
Width	2125 mm (83.66 in)
Height	1492 mm (58.74 in)
Wheelbase	3116 mm (122.68 in)
Performance
Acceleration 0-60 mph	5.2 seconds
Top Speed	179 mph/288 km/h
Fuel Capacity	96.0 litres (25.3 US gallons)