2009 Bentley Flying Spur

This Flying Spur is a UK specified and supplied car, first registered in September 2009. The pre-delivery inspection was carried out at 59 miles by Bentley Essex in Colchester on the 11th of that month. It is reported that the Flying Spur was used as a demonstrator initially. That would help explain the specifying of some popular options beyond the car’s already extremely generous specification. These include the Naim premium audio system, the rear entertainment package, rear picnic tables with integral vanity mirrors and contrasting seat piping. A total of around £8,000 worth of options were, reportedly, specified.

The second lucky owner happened along in May 2010, acquiring the car from Bentley dealers Jack Barclay. At this stage the Flying Spur had covered a mere 4,186 miles and sold for a reported £139,000. This keeper retained the car for a full 12 years but clearly only lightly used it. By the time it was acquired by current owner, Sid, in September 2022 the mileage had only crept up to around 11,800 miles.

In just under two years of ownership Sid has added a further 5,000 miles or so to that total with the odometer now reading 16,943 miles. This straightforward and pampered provenance makes for a car today that has covered less than 1,400 miles a year, on average, in the ownership of a mere three keepers. A remarkable history for a remarkable car.

This sublime Flying Spur is presented in a Royal Blue Metallic livery that suits the majestic and sophisticated style of the Bentley perfectly. Despite Bentley having moved away from true coach-built cars with the arrival of the GT, the Flying Spur leaves onlookers in no doubt that this is still a very special car. Rather than diluting the marque’s history Bentley’s German owners continued to utilise traditional design cues, paying appropriate homage to the marque’s illustrious past.

The nose of the car is particularly imposing thanks to its traditional looking mesh “matrix” grill siting between a pair of large, twin bi-xenon headlamps with accompanying concealed washer jets. A black winged B badge adorns the radiator shell in case anyone is in doubt as to the provenance of the car. At the rear the upright LED taillights, winged B badging and twin oval tail pipes lends the car a clean yet sporting look. In side profile, the Flying Spur’s five meter plus length hints at the commodious nature of the luxurious cabin. Splashes of brightwork to the door handles and window surrounds adds an extra level of sophistication as if any were needed. 

This car rides on the optional 20-inch, seven spoke light alloy wheels in a bright silver finish. The presentation of these appears to be excellent with no marks or kerb rash in evidence. The open architecture of the large wheels allows sight of the Bentley embossed brake callipers. The wheels are shod with a high-quality set of Pirelli P-Zero tyres in 275/35 ZR configuration to help quell the prodigious torque of the W12. These are date stamped from 2008 and 2010 so whilst they have covered less than 6,000 miles they may warrant reviewing on an age basis alone.

The overall exterior condition of the Flying Spur appears to be excellent throughout. All panels exude a deep and lustrous shine and panel gaps appear millimetre perfect throughout. All cabin glass and light lenses appear bright and unblemished to give the car a cherished and lightly used persona.

Although sharing a platform with the mighty coupe GT, the Flying Spur adds a full 12-inches to the wheelbase to create an entirely Bentley-appropriate and roomy luxury saloon. Bentley’s publicity material of the time described it thus “5 square meters of wood veneer. Acoustic glass. An invisible masseuse. Luxury Bentley-style.” Altogether apt, it seems.

Our car is finished in Magnolia leather (code 99) with a full 11 hides employed to fastidiously trim the cabin. The front seats are finished with perforated and vertically box pleated centre sections. The bolsters are smooth finished, and all panels are delineated with twin needle stitching and seats front and back feature the optional contrasting piping. The front seats are fully electronically adjustable with multi-stage memory, variable heating and lumbar massage (this is the aforementioned masseuse, in case you were concerned about finding one imprisoned in the boot) settings.

The commodious rear bench features sculpted outer seats incorporating lumbar and heating settings. In the centre console a range of heating and ventilation controls are accessible, together with chromed bulls-eye vents and organ stop controls forming part of the car’s four-zone climate control system. The rear passengers further benefit from the inclusion of the optional rear entertainment package incorporating twin, headrest mounted 7-inch screens, 6 DVD changer, twin Bentley branded headsets and remote control. Even the original Bentley branded car telephone is still mounted in the rear centre armrest. Optional picnic tables are fitted complete with fold out vanity mirrors.

The dashboard is awash with high-end, chromed fittings and legible and comprehensive instrumentation. Highlights include the Breitling cabin clock and machined alloy and leather gear selector. This example also features the optional Naim audio system. This, exclusive to Bentley system boasts 1,100 watts of power feeding a full 15 bespoke Naim speakers. A world leading system at the time.

Other refinements include the optional glass, tilt and slide sunroof. Large infotainment screen, multifunction leather steering wheel and glovebox mounted, 6-CD changer. The boot is huge and finished in a dark and hardwearing carpet set and houses the optional space saver spare wheel and tool set.

Apart from the peerless luxury and weapons grade build quality, what is most obvious is the superb overall condition. The cabin presents very well indeed with no significant imperfections noted or reported.

Of course, many things were changed when Bentley took the Continental GT as a basis for the Flying Spur. Something that didn’t, however, was the full-blooded technical specification of its 200mph GT sibling which was adopted wholesale. The 6L W12 engine was developed from two VR6 V6 units to create that innovative and unique W configuration, 12-cylinder powerhouse. Fitted with twin turbochargers this unit churned out 552 bhp and 479 lb-ft of torque from a mere 1,600rpm in original condition. 

This potentially tyre-shredding output is routed to all four 20-inch wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission and a Torsen derived permanent four-wheel drive system.  Other mechanical innovations fitted include continuous, electronic variable damping control and self-levelling, air suspension. 

Lifting the strut assisted bonnet reveals a pristine looking engine bay. Despite being comprehensively covered up, the W12 is an impressive sight with full Bentley branding, impressive embossing together with “6 Litre” and “Twin Turbo” badging. The underside is equally comprehensively faired in with plastic undertrays and acoustic wadding. What can be seen of the hardware, however, looks commensurate with a sub-17,000-mile car.

The Flying Spur comes with a well-rounded paperwork archive. The current V5 is on hand and an advisory free MoT in hardcopy is present with validity until October 2024. Numerous earlier hard copy MoTs are also on hand.

The original book pack is included complete with the service book featuring PDI stamp and full specification and option build codes. The remainder of the paperwork consists of a number of high value service and maintenance invoices. The most recent of these dates from March of this year and describes a service and associated snagging with a value of over £3,300.

With the GT and Flying Spur representing Volkswagen’s maiden overs of their Bentley ownership, there was no way they would be anything other than stunningly accomplished. The combination of power, performance and commodious luxury is both heady and hard to match regardless of budget. 

Those innate traits combine with this car’s impressively light use, option laden specification and low owner count. Mindful of this car’s £24,000 - £28,000 guide price, it is surely on the impossible side of difficult to think of a better prestige, performance, and value proposition that is available today.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.