Bentley teases next Flying Spur

As before, the Flying Spur (or whatever Bentley is going to call it - Continental R, possibly?) will be very closely related to the Continental GT Coupe under the skin. Both share the same basic platform (which is also used by Porsche for the Panamera) and will share W12, V8, and eventually plug-in hybrid engines.

Bentley says that it is "innovating beyond the existing boundaries of performance, refinement and luxury with the introduction of an all-new four-door Grand Tourer." The profile sketch shows a long, sweeping side view, that shares obvious similarities with the outgoing model, but which also appears to be rather more sleek, and which seems to have styling quite similar to that of the Mulsanne super-luxury saloon around the rear three-quarters.

There's also a short video (watch below) which shows that Bentley is copying its rivals at Rolls-Royce by introducing a fold-away bonnet mascot, with the 'Flying B' badge slipping away under a flush-fitting cover. We can't see much more of the styling, although the sliver of radiator grille visible in the video seems to show that the Spur will get the same wider, sleeker, grille design as used by the Continental GT.

With this being Bentley's big new model launch for its centenary years (WO Bentley started making his first cars in 1919) you can expect the launch for this model to include quite a bit of hoopla, and possibly also some indication of where Bentley sees the brand, and its styling, going in the next few years.

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