Bentley Flying Spur spawns a more affordable version

Bentley has released a lighter and more wallet-friendly variant of its Flying Spur flagship saloon. The car comes powered by a 4.0-liter V8 instead of the usual 6.0-liter W12.

It produces 550 hp (410 kW) and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) of torque, putting it 85 hp (63 kW) and 200 Nm (147 lb-ft) below the standard spec. The V8 has a twin-turbo system and can switch off half of its cylinders when not needed. An eight-speed automatic transmission delivers the thrust to the front axle, taking the sedan from standstill to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 4.1 seconds. The W12 version is marginally faster at 3.8 seconds.

The equipment list makes mention of adaptive suspension and rear wheel steering, and you can pay extra for an active roll stabilization system.

The manufacturer promises plenty of in-house accessories and options due out in late 2020.