- The Bentley Flying Spur will get a hybrid powertrain option
- The V-8 plug-in hybrid powertrain will be ported to the sedan from the Continental GT coupe
- The powertrain will arrive in a refreshed Flying Spur
Bentley on Thursday announced that the Flying Spur will receive the automaker's new V-8 plug-in hybrid powertrain, referred to as the Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain.
Bentley said the hybrid powertrain will feature in an updated Flying Spur Speed. The automaker didn't provide timing but a debut is expected later this year.
The hybrid powertrain debuted in June in an updated Continental GT Speed. It replaces Bentley's venerable twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W-12 which ceases production this summer after two decades. Bentley launched the coachbuilt Batur and Batur Convertible models to celebrate the W-12's run.
The automaker confirmed that the hybrid powertrain's output will be 771 hp in the updated Flying Spur Speed, which is the same rating the powertrain has in the updated Continental GT Speed. The new output is 145 hp more than what the current Flying Spur Speed generates from its W-12.
Bentley Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain
The hybrid powertrain consists of a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 paired with a single electric motor. The electric motor is integrated with an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that directs the drive torque to all four wheels via an all-wheel-drive system.
The current Flying Spur was launched in the U.S. for the 2020 model year and gained its first hybrid powertrain for 2022. The existing hybrid powertrain is focused more on economy than performance, combining a turbocharged 2.9-liter V-6 with a single electric motor for a combined output of 536 hp.
The Flying Spur also offers a standalone twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8, though not for long. The automaker in May unveiled special Edition 8 versions of its Continental GT, Continental GTC, and Flying Spur to mark the end of the road for those models powered solely by a V-8 engine.
A teaser photo released together with Thursday's announcement shows the updated Flying Spur Speed will feature a revised front fascia but with the same split headlight design found on the current model.
