Bentley took to the Nurburgring not long ago to test a prototype of the new-gen Flying Spur.
The car wore plastic cladding on the boot lid and had what looked like a charging port on the left rear fender, suggesting that the plug-in hybrid version is finally on its way.
Watch: 2020 Bentley Flying Spur Makes A Great Case For Big Luxury Saloons
This is not the first time the Flying Spur PHEV was spied testing, and it won’t be last either. As for the powertrain, it could be the same assembly sourced from the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid – after all, the two share the same platform. In the German model, the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 and electric motor produce a combined output of 680 PS (670 HP / 500 kW) and 850 Nm (627 lb-ft) of torque.
The electrified variant of the flagship sedan will join the regular Flying Spur, probably in a few months. The latter is very agile for a car that weighs almost 2,500 kilos (5,500 lbs), as it brags about being able to shoot from rest to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 3.8 seconds. It will run out of breath at 333 km/h (207 mph), which is more than double the legal speed limit on highways worldwide.
Power for the Bentley Flying Spur comes from a 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12. The engine produces 635 PS (626 HP / 467 kW) and 900 Nm (664 lb-ft) of torque, and works in conjunction with the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and an all-wheel drive system. Depending on the road conditions, the power can be channeled between the two axles, improving the grip and allowing it to tackle corners at high speeds – kind of like the mysterious prototype captured on video below.