It won’t be long before Bentley finally unveils the
all-new Flying Spur, rumored to surface during a special event in July, meant
to celebrate the automaker’s 100th anniversary. Bentley
is introducing an automotive-world first in terms of interior design, namely
the three-dimensional textured leather upholstery, with a diamond pattern. The
new material was developed by a team of craftsmen and women in Crewe, England,
and is said to be just one of many new and advanced features and technologies
that Bentley will introduce along with this third-generation grand touring
sedan.
Visually, this material looks different than what we
see on the Continental GT’s door panels. While the two-door model also features
a diamond-like pattern, it’s positioned differently (vertically instead of
horizontally) and doesn’t quite have the same “3D effect”.
According to Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark, the
all-new Flying Spur will be positioned more towards the £ 200,000 (US$ 263,000)
mark in terms of pricing, so as to give high-end Mercedes S-Class models a
better run for their money – although the Rolls-Royce Ghost should also be
within reach.
Buyers will reportedly be able to choose from at
least three powertrain options, including a 6.0-liter W12, a 4.0-liter V8 and a
plug-in hybrid 2.9-liter V6, which should favor tax-sensitive markets such as
China.
