PHEV Bentley sedan more powerful than Bentayga
New partnership announced with legendary distillery
Bentley launched a new plug-in hybrid sedan this week. The PHEV Flying Spur will have more power than the plugged-in Bentayga and offer 40 km of truly silent motoring. The luxury automaker wants to improve its sustainability to go along with the new plug-in, so it turned, naturally, to a distillery for help.
A 2.9L twin-turbo V6 making 410 hp will be familiar across the Volkswagen Group and is the base engine here. It’s joined by a 134 hp electric motor that adds up to 536 hp. 93 more than the Bentayga, and if this all sounds a lot like the Panamera S e-hybrid, you’re probably not far off.
It’s as quick as the V8 Bentley Flying Spur, but that’s missing the point. This one can drive around 40 km solely using the electric motor (WLTP figures) and should return much-improved fuel economy in all situations. Expect silence from behind the wheel (or in the rear seat) of this car greater than any Bentley yet offered.
Visual tweaks are small, but they include the charge port door that mirrors the fuel filler as well as a small badge on the front fender. Charging takes around two and a half hours.
The new Flying Spur PHEV was introduced in Speyside at the Macallan distillery estate. The two announced a partnership to work to improve sustainability. The Macallan Estate has already made plans to switch its fleet to electric by 2025 and two of those will be hybrid Bentley models later this year.
While the claim is about sustainability, expect marketing to be more visible. Bentley mentions that they “will additionally deliver a wide range of projects over the coming years, including jointly-developed products from both.” There will also be curated experiences and events for customers of both brands.