WINGS OF DESIRE i i--s

An enraptured Sean O’Grady takes a spin in the rarefied air of Bentley Bespoke and finds very little to complain about

- Sean O’Grady

So let’s meet the new 202mpg Bentley Flying Spur saloon. Yes, you read that right 202 miles per gallon, not miles per hour. The top speed is in fact 177mph as a matter of fact, a little lower than some earlier versions but plenty enough for this four or five seater.

The miracle of its fuel consumption derives from its status as a plug-in hybrid vehicle and the rather permissive way the authorities allow the carmakers to present fuel efficiency.

In short, you can drive the Flying Spur in full zero-emission electric mode carefully for about 40 miles (real-world estimate), when it pretty much runs out of kilowatts; the 4-litre twin-turbo V8 will then take over and return, say, 32mpg. That in itself is remarkable for such a beast, with the extra battery pack helping to push the weight over 2.6 tonnes.

Obviously, no one buys a Bentley with fuel economy absolutely uppermost in their minds, and they’d be generously forgiven for putting their foot down and enjoying the full burble and torque provided by the petrol unit, supplemented by the electric motor. But, on the other hand, this is a limousine almost without peer, and the absolute silence of electric mode also provides maximum serenity.