Bentley’s hybrid range expands with new Flying Spur

The Bentley Flying Spur range now has three powertrain options with the introduction of a new plug-in hybrid.

The petrol-electric model is claimed to be ‘the most environmentally friendly Bentley to date, promising seamless switching between electric and petrol power.

It uses a 2.9-litre V6 petrol engine coupled to a battery-powered electric motor that provides a combined output of 536bhp and 750Nm of torque, making it almost 100bhp more powerful than the Bentayga Hybrid SUV.

It’s quick, taking the Flying Spur from 0-60mph in just 4.1 seconds, but not at the expense of economy – official figures are awaiting confirmation, but Bentley says it has a combined range in excess of 430 miles, with an electric-only range of about 25 miles.

A button in the cabin gives the driver control of drive modes, to focus on electric-only driving or to manage the charge in the battery. It comes with all the necessary cables to charge via public charge points and the option of a free home wallbox for faster charging.

The Hybrid is distinguished from the rest of the Flying Spur range through a few subtle differences, including Hybrid badging, quad oval exhaust tips and a charging port on the left rear fender. There are three wheel sizes to choose from – 20-, 21- and 22-inch – each with their own designs and colour finishes.

Inside it has the same luxurious cabin as the rest of the range with five upholstery colours available as standard and a further 10 available as an upgrade, plus two two-tone options.

UK pricing has not yet been confirmed, but the model is expected to go on sale here later this year with a price just below £150,000.