GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Flying Spur fastest four-door Bentley yet

The 2014 Flying Spur has officially broken cover, cementing its place in Bentley lore as the fastest and most powerful four-door ever it has ever built.

Making its public debut at the 2013 Geneva motor show next month, the ultra-luxury limousine accelerates from zero to 100km/h in 4.6 seconds. The British-built all-wheel drive luxo-barge is powered exclusively by an updated version of the company's 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12 engine producing a prodigious 460kW at 6000rpm and 800Nm at 2000rpm.

That's an increase of 37kW and a staggering 100Nm over the derivative model. The extra power comes courtesy of an engine management system upgrade that Bentley says improves low speed responsiveness as well.

Engine power is transferred to the wheels via an eight-speed ZF automatic transmisison, the Flying Spur’s all-wheel drive system splitting torque 40:60 front-to-rear.

It appears unlikely -- at least in the short term -- that a cheaper version of the Flying Spur will be offered with Bentley's 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, as is the case with the two-door Continental GT.

The protracted teaser campaign that preceded the Bentley Flying Spur's official reveal hit a snag when images of the new saloon were leaked a day early. It's therefore no secret that the new design is a subtle reworking of its predecessor, with a smoother, more muscular outlook described by Bentley as "athletic".

The new Flying Spur has a visibly sportier stance that matches its improved performance, displaying a sleeker front-end design that incorporates a reworked grille and single frame lower air dam. The re-sculpted bonnet and front quarter panels are now made from aluminium and, together with a polymer composite boot lid, contribute to a claimed weight reduction of 50kg.

That takes the Spur's overall kerb weight to a chunky 2475kg, and despite its considerable mass, the car has a top whack of 322km/h.

Combined fuel consumption is rated at 14.7L/100km but the car has a large 90 litre fuel tank to compensate for its powerful thirst.

Along the Flying Spur's flanks the door handles have been positioned a little lower, the roof line has been tweaked and the car rides a little lower, too. But the Spur retains the quad circular headlights of its predecessor.

At the rear new horizontally-arrayed brake lights are visible as is the rump’s brawnier overall look and redefined haunches.

The 2014 Bentley Flying Spur makes use of a more rigid chassis to improve handling and, in tandem with its performance upgrades, boasts an entirely new interior, save for a handful of controls and instruments, armrests and carry-over sunvisors.

"Fitted with the very latest technology, the new Flying Spur is equipped both for business and relaxation whilst remaining a car to enjoy from behind the wheel," boasted Dr Wolfgang Schreiber, Bentley chairman and chief executive.

On top of improved luxury features, such as more supple leather upholstery and a choice of seven interior veneers, the Flying Spur makes use of electronically controlled dampers to improve ride quality and the cabin is now quieter, too.

As the Bentley hits speeds of 200km/h and above it gradually lowers its ride height automatically to improve stability and fuel efficiency.

The interior fit-out now features a built-in Wi-Fi hot spot so that passengers can always access the Internet, and a 64Gb hard-drive hooked up a pair of 10-inch displays in the rear ensures no one will ever ask "are we there yet?"

Wireless headphones are part of a package and the fast Bentley's new infotainment system is controlled by an eight-inch Touch Screen Remote (TSR) quasi-tablet that extends to rear seat passengers at the touch of a button, allowing occupants to adjust everything from seat position to the climate control.

Audio can be piped through an optional 1100 Watt, eight-speaker Naim stereo with bass extending subwoofers for "the ultimate in-car audio experience". The car also features SD card slots, USB ports and a multimedia player that can decode video, photo and music from almost any medium, including DVDs, iPods, iPads and even HDMI devices.

"Bentley's new Flying Spur is the ultimate luxury performance sedan," said Dr Schreiber. "Our engineers have worked tirelessly to ensure that the Flying Spur is the perfect combination of power, comfort, refinement and hand-crafted quality."

Just 65 Bentley vehicles were sold in Australia in 2012, slightly more than one per week. The new Flying Spur model is expected to be priced slightly higher than the current model's $374,000 price when it arrives locally.