Bentley Brings Back ‘Flying B’ Bonnet Ornament In New Flying Spur

Bentley is bringing back the ‘Flying B’ bonnet ornament that’s been redesigned for the next century and making its first appearance on the new Flying Spur.

The iconic mascot, which now is electronically deployed from beneath a modern Bentley badge, made its first appearance almost 90 years ago on a 1930 model 8 Litre. Back in those days, the mascot wasn’t a standard fit but an optional feature that was priced at five guineas at the time.

Also Read: 2020 Bentley Flying Spur First Edition Announced As Content-Rich Limited Model

Bonnet ornaments didn’t prove popular at the time, with Bentley even considering scrapping theirs for good. In 1935, the car maker and Autocar magazine held a competition, inviting readers to submit their own designs for a replacement. The prize was £50 (around £3,500 in today’s money) but none of the proposals submitted proved suitable.

As for the flat winged Bentley badge, it was created by English artist F. Gordon Crosby for company founder W.O Bentley just after the end of WWI. While the badge appears symmetrical, the two wings on it feature a different number of feathers on each side in order to fool those who tried to copy the company’s logo.

With Bentley currently celebrating its centenary year, the mascot is an evolution of previous designs and on the Flying Spur it’s not only electronically controlled but illuminated as well, participating in the welcome lighting sequence and keyless entry system as the drives approaches the vehicle.

The new Bentley Flying Spur poses as the world’s most technologically advanced Grand Tourer, featuring an advanced aluminum/composite chassis along with 48-volt active anti-roll bars, all-wheel steering, an air suspension with three-chamber air springs and more.

Power for the new Bentley Flying Spur comes from the brand’s twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12 engine that produces 626 HP (635 PS) AND 664 lb-ft (900 Nm) of torque. An eight-speed dual-clutch transmission sends the colossal power to all four wheels, enabling the 2020 Flying Spur to hit 62mph (100km/h) from a standstil in 3.8 seconds and top out at 207 mph (333km/h).

Order books for the 2020 Bentley Flying Spur will open this Autumn, with the first customer deliveries beginning in 2020.