- ULTIMATE LUXURY SEDAN FLYING SPUR MAKES CHINA DEBUT AT AUTO SHANGHAI
- JOINED BY FLAGSHIP MULSANNE AND FASTEST PRODUCTION BENTLEY MODEL EVER
- BENTLEY REINFORCES COMMITMENT TO GREATER CHINA WITH EXPANSION PLANS
(Shanghai, 19 April 2013) Today at the Auto Shanghai 2013, Bentley introduces the new Flying Spur to Greater China, alongside the Continental GT Speed, Bentley’s fastest production model ever and its pinnacle flagship model, the ultra-high luxury Mulsanne. Bentley also announces its plans to grow the dealer network in Greater China, reinforcing China as a key market for Bentley’s continued success as the company heads for double digit growth again in 2013.
Dr Wolfgang Schreiber, Bentley’s Chairman and Chief Executive, comments:
“China is a key market for Bentley and we are enjoying great sales success and growing customer interest. To continue to achieve these results, we have a significant expansion plan in place. This starts with the new Flying Spur, previously our best-selling model and we expect 60 per cent of the new Flying Spur sales to be delivered to customers in China.
“Our customers have one thing in common; they want quality, attention to detail and performance whether this is a watch or a bespoke suit. Exactly these principles are at the heart of the new car being presenting today, for its Greater China premiere.”
Success in the Far East
Reinforcing Bentley’s position as the number one luxury car maker in the world, 2012 saw a 23 per cent sales growth in China, with the region becoming Bentley’s second biggest market. Bentley established an official importer at the start of 2013, Bentley Motors China, to manage all key operations from its headquarters in Beijing. The company’s growth plan includes major network expansion to build on the current 26 locations and continue to provide every Bentley customer with a first-class service. 12 new dealer locations are opening by May this year, with plans for 45 dealerships covering all key cities in Greater China to be in place by 2015.
Establishing a new luxury sedan benchmark
With its unrivalled blend of effortless driveability, exquisite luxury and craftsmanship, sculpted design and state-of-the-art technology, the new Flying Spur, shown in the Far East for the first time, takes the worldwide success of its iconic predecessor even further.
Bentley’s styling team has developed an athletic design for the new Flying Spur that combines traditional Bentley styling cues with a dynamic stance and contemporary details. Sharp feature lines complement muscular rear haunches, while LED day-time running lights, dipped headlights and taillights complement the front and rear profiles. The interior designers have created a luxurious, spacious cabin that dresses advanced acoustic and electronic technologies in exquisite hand-crafted leather hides and wood veneers.
Driver and passengers alike interface with the car and the outside world through touch-screen infotainment, mobile connectivity including Wi-Fi, a Rear Seat Entertainment suite and a new bespoke hand-held Touch Screen Remote which allows rear-cabin occupants to control an extensive range of features from the comfort of their seat. An eight-channel, eight-speaker audio system with Balanced Mode Radiators provide high quality sound clarity, with the 1100W Naim® for Bentley premium system available as an option.
Powering the new Flying Spur is Bentley’s renowned 6.0-litre, twin turbo W12 engine, coupled to a ZF eight-speed transmission. Developing 616 horsepower and 590 pound feet of torque, the new Flying Spur features more power than any other Bentley four-door in history. A 14 per cent improvement in the power-to-weight ratio over the outgoing model delivers a breath-taking 0-60 mph time of 4.3 seconds and a top-speed of 200 mph. In the modern Bentley tradition, power is delivered to the road via all-wheel drive with a 40:60 rear-biased torque split for a sure-footed, engaging drive in all road and weather conditions.
Bentley Mulsanne: the pinnacle of British luxury motoring
Bentley’s showcase of luxury, performance and technology continues with the Mulsanne.
A celebration of the company’s passion for craftsmanship, those commissioning a Mulsanne enter a world of choice that is unmatched in the car industry, working with the Bentley team of world-class craftspeople, including coachbuilders, electronics specialists and cabinetmakers, to create a car that can be personalised to their individual tastes and personal requirements. The unrivalled choice of veneers, leather hides, paint colours and finishes ensures that the needs of all customers can be perfectly matched.
Under the bonnet lies a twin-turbocharged 6¾-litre V8 engine that delivers extreme levels of performance, developing 512 PS (505 bhp/377 kW) with torque of 1020 Nm (712lb ft) delivered at 1750rpm.
With a 0-60 mph sprint time of just 5.1 seconds (0-100 km/h in 5.3 seconds) and a top speed of 184 mph (296 km/h) the 505 bhp (512 PS/377 kw) Mulsanne offers thunderous levels of performance for an ultra-luxury sedan.
Bentley GT Speed coupe: the fastest-ever Bentley road-car
Completing Bentley’s presence at Auto Shanghai is the new 205 mph (330 km/h) W-12 engined Continental GT Speed, the fastest road car Bentley has ever produced. As Bentley’s new performance flagship, the Continental GT Speed coupe appeals to driving enthusiasts who place a high value on outright performance and agile handling.
The GT Speed develops 616 bhp (625 PS / 460 kW) at 6000 rev/min with 800 Nm (590 lb.ft) of torque available from 2000 to 5000 rev/min for instantly accessible high performance. Coupled with a new ZF eight-speed close-ratio automatic transmission and state-of-the-art engine management software, the GT Speed dispatches the zero-to-sixty sprint in 4.0 seconds (0-100 km/h in 4.2s), reaching 100 mph (160 km/h) from a standing start in just 9.0 seconds.
In-gear acceleration is equally breath-taking. The advanced software of the close-ratio 8-speed transmission enables quick-shifting in Sport and Tiptronic modes. The gearbox also features ‘block-downshifting’, enabling combined downshifts for maximum acceleration. Typically, when cruising in eighth gear, full acceleration is achieved by dropping straight down to fourth.
While this puts the GT Speed at the very top end of automotive performance, the new model retains the driving refinement, supreme comfort, peerless craftsmanship and contemporary luxury associated with Bentley cars.
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Text and photograph by: Bentley.
