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A gentleman's car with grunt. Anthony Penderis takes a spin in the Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed.
If you are looking for a real gentleman's luxury saloon car with the oomph of a sports car, the Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed should be yours. If you can afford it, of course.
At 600bhp, the Speed, Bentley's latest addition to the premium 12-cylinder 4-door market, sports 50bhp more than its stable-mate, the Continental Flying Spur, does 100kmh in 4.8 seconds (0.4s faster) with a top speed of 322kmh (10kph faster).
In addition to this, you can switch electronically from comfort mode to sports mode to be more in contact with the road, giving you a harder suspension and a greater presence of engine growl - 'Baritone Exhaust' in Bentley-speak.
And don't be fooled by the sheer size and weight (2.5 tonnes) of this masterpiece. Handling is as light as a feather, with those 600 horses waiting for just the slightest nudge to kick in. A real nimble monster.
The new Adaptive Cruise Control, available in both models, adds to the comfort experience. Set your speed and the distance from the car in front and relax. Add to this the sensation of the 15-speaker, 1100 watt Naim hi-fi system, specially developed for Bentley, and you might believe there is an orchestra in the back seat.
With the Continental Flying Spur Speed added to the Continental Flying Spur and the Continental GT Speed coupé it will no doubt strengthen Bentley's dominance in this segment. Apparently 20 per cent of Bentleys are chauffeur driven, while 88 per cent of owners drive themselves too. If some chauffeurs were already relegated to the back seat with the other models, the Flying Spur Speed might make them completely and utterly redundant.
Wheels keep on turning: Blind spot killer - Mini SUV - Harley Muscle
What happens when the Mini develops an Incredible Hulk alter-ego? Here's the new Mini Crossover Concept - four doors, all-wheel drive, four single seats and at four metres in length and 1.6m height, the biggest Mini ever. The car previews at the Paris Motor Show in October and is the basis on which a series production car will be developed in the future.
Blind faith
The 2009 Ford Edge crossover will feature a blind spot mirror, which was originally planned to be a standard for the 2008 model. The mirror has a convex spotter in the corner of the side-view mirrors, which allows drivers to view the blind spot. These will be offered in the future for several Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles. Just what Dubai needs.
Got-to-buy Bugatti
If you're a diehard car fan and you've got about Dhs9 million lying around, then you'd better hurry and get your hands on the limited edition Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sports. With a 987bhp W16 engine and a top speed of 350kmh, this topless model can go from 0 to 100kmh in 2.5 seconds. Why buy it? This is not only the most expensive and powerful roadster in the world, it's also the fastest.
Harley goes musclebound
With sculpted bodywork wrapped around a powerful new physique, the 2009 Harley Davidson VRSCF V-Rod Muscle rides its way onto the power cruiser scene with its broad-shouldered presence. The Muscle features a 1250cc engine, 240mm rear tyre, Brembo triple-disc brakes with ABS standard, a race-bred clutch and a long low profile. This bike will be available in the UAE next year. Prices start at Dhs77,500 onwards.
Hummer bummer
General Motors (GM) has been in talks with Indian, Russian and Chinese carmakers about selling its Hummer brand, which has had declining sales of over 40 per cent and a loss of $51 billion over the last three years. GM is worried that with the high prices of gasoline, car buyers are not willing to buy a military-style vehicle that only gets 14-25 km to the gallon. If Hummer is sold, the style, make and name could be changed.
One to wait
Aston Martin recently released a teaser photo of its long awaited One-77. Underneath the sleek hand-made aluminium body, this beast sports a 7.0L V12 engine which can fire up from 0 to 100kmh in 3.5 seconds, and apparently has a meaner growl than a Lamborghini. But this is a limited edition car; only 77 will be produced and sold for approximately Dhs8.5 million each.
Fact: Adolf Hitler had a false floor fitted into his Mercedes 770K, making him look five inches taller, when he stood up in the car.
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