Why Does This Bentley Flying Spur Test Mule Have An Extra Fuel Cap?

Truth be told, it's a charging port.

If you assumed the Bentley Bentayga plug-in hybrid would be the only Bentley to offer this powertrain tech, then you assumed wrong. Our spy photographers caught this Bentley Flying Spur prototype doing some late winter testing and noticed something interesting about it: an extra “fuel cap” for the charging port in the left rear fender. What does this signify? A plug-in hybrid version. The next generation Flying Spur has been caught testing previously ahead of its expected late 2018 or early 2019 premiere.

It’s entirely possible the plug-in hybrid version will debut at the same time. And because Bentley is part of the Volkswagen Group, the Flying Spur plug-in hybrid will share its guts with not only the Bentayga plug-in, but also the Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid. This means there will be a turbocharged V6 gasoline engine paired with an electric motor. The Porsche has a combined output of 462 hp, so expect something similar in the Flying Spur. However, and this suggestion should not be ruled out, it’s also entirely possible the Flying Spur plug-in hybrid has the powertrain from Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, meaning a combined 680 hp. Why would Bentley opt for the more powerful system?

Because it may want the plug-in version to be the most powerful and expensive Flying Spur in the range. It’s also worth pointing out both the Flying Spur and Panamera share the same platform, which can be adapted for rear- and all-wheel drive. We also suspect the Bentley will be slightly longer than the Porsche, meaning the platform was designed from the get-go for some flexibility.

Mansory Gives The Bentley Mulsanne Some Extra Muscle

But it’s still slower than a Bentley Mulsanne Speed, somehow.

Mansory’s extravagant customization jobs can divide opinions, but its latest creation is surprisingly restrained. After souping up the Bentley Bentayga, the tuner has now given the mighty Mulsanne some extra muscle. The exterior has been enhanced with naked carbon fiber details such as a new front bumper lip spoiler and fog lamps surround. Elsewhere, the luxury limo has been fitted with carbon-fiber side skirts, a subtle trunk lid spoiler, a rear bumper diffuser, and a set of massive 22-inch light forged wheels with “ultra-high performance” 285/35Z tires for both axles.

Of course, the upgrades continue under the hood. Mansory has managed to massage the Mulsanne’s 6.75-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 engine to produce 585 horsepower at 4,000 rpm compared to the 512 hp the standard car offers. Combined with an obscene 811 lb-ft of torque at 2,300 rpm, the Mansory-tuned Mulsanne will sprint from 0-62 mph in just five seconds. Top speed has also been bumped from 184 mph to 190 mph. For a luxury limo that weighs 2.6 tons, that’s mightily impressive. Having said that, Bentley’s own Mulsanne Speed can achieve the same top speed and sprint to 62 mph point one of a second faster.

A marginal difference, granted, but you would expect an aftermarket tuned car to surpass anything the original manufacturer can offer. No photos of the interior options have been supplied, but Mansory says that customers can customize the cabin with a bespoke mix of brushed aluminum, bare carbon fiber, and burled or high-gloss piano surfaces. These details can be ordered in any color to “perfectly complement the leather on the dashboard and seats.”