Bentley’s in a nostalgic mood — and when Bentley gets sentimental, it doesn’t just throw a birthday party. It commissions Mulliner, its in-house tailor of automotive royalty, to create three modern tributes to the brand’s greatest four-door icons.
2025 marks a trio of milestones: 60 years of the T Series, 40 years of the Turbo R, and 20 years of the modern Flying Spur. And because Crewe doesn’t do half measures, each anniversary gets its own bespoke Flying Spur — the spiritual descendant of them all.
The 1965 T Series — Where Bentley Went Modern
The story starts at the 1965 Paris Motor Show. The Bentley T Series arrived with a radical idea for the era: a monocoque chassis. It was sleeker, stronger, and more sophisticated — and it showed the world that Bentley could blend aristocratic comfort with genuine innovation.
Its 6.2-litre V8 made a modest 199bhp, but back then, it wasn’t about numbers — it was about waft. A dash of throttle, a whisper of torque, and 0–62mph in just over 10 seconds. Decent progress, as the gentlemen of the time might say.
Mulliner’s modern homage is a Flying Spur Azure, dipped in elegant Shell Grey, riding on six-spoke alloys inspired by the original’s tri-spoke design. Inside, it’s all black and grey leather, oozing restraint. Under the bonnet? A twin-turbo V8 with 671bhp. So, yes — progress has been made.
The 1985 Turbo R — The Blower Returns
Fast-forward to the ‘80s, when power dressing and turbocharging were both all the rage. The Turbo R stormed onto the scene in 1985, essentially reintroducing the idea that a Bentley could move — properly. With a 298bhp 6.75-litre turbo V8, it could sprint to 62mph in 7.0 seconds, and with 50% stiffer suspension, it finally handled like it looked.
Bentley says the Turbo R had a nine-month waiting list — proof that plutocrats do, in fact, appreciate a good bit of oversteer.
To celebrate, Mulliner has crafted a Flying Spur Speed that channels that same swagger: Brooklands Green paint, Monaco Yellow interior accents, swept-spoke 22-inch wheels, and enough presence to make a stockbroker cry with envy. The ethos remains pure Bentley: immense, indulgent, and unapologetically bold.
The 2005 Continental Flying Spur — The New Era
Finally, we arrive in 2005 — when the newly Volkswagen-owned Bentley launched the Continental Flying Spur, a four-door version of the W12 Continental GT. It resurrected the Flying Spur name after nearly five decades and announced Bentley’s return to the big leagues.
With 549bhp and a top speed north of 200mph, it was the first true 200mph luxury saloon — a statement that refinement and ridiculous velocity could coexist.
Its modern tribute is again based on the Flying Spur Speed, finished in Cypress Green, with 10-spoke alloys, green leather, and dark burr walnut trim that screams old-money opulence.
Three Cars, One Lineage
Bentley says each of these models “played a key role in defining the Bentley four-door sedan, creating an unbroken evolutionary line leading to today’s Flying Spur.” And for once, that’s not marketing fluff.
From the technical breakthrough of the T Series to the muscle and menace of the Turbo R, and the modern might of the W12 Flying Spur, this trio maps out six decades of relentless refinement and occasional lunacy.
The result? A set of Flying Spurs that don’t just celebrate Bentley’s past — they prove the company still knows exactly what it’s about: power, poise, and presence, served with a side of handmade excess.
Source: Autocar