It was an answered prayer for many when Bentley announced the return of the V8 engine for the latest-generation Flying Spur. The W12 supercar disguised in luxurious sedan form remains the power king, but while the other Flying Spur is less potent, it's more driver-focused, thanks to the way its V8 engine was designed.
Designed To Be Powerful Yet Efficient
Featuring a block cast from high-strength aluminum, Bentley's 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 engine is a modern mill designed to deliver high levels of output and torque (542 hp and 567 lb-ft between 2000 rpm and 4500 rpm), while emitting lower levels of carbon dioxide at the best possible efficiency.
To achieve this power, Bentley placed the turbochargers inside the V, enabling a shorter route for exhaust gases from the engine to turbochargers (up to 1.6 bar of boost pressure). Thanks to this, the Flying Spur V8 can zoom from nil to 62 mph in 4.1 seconds. At around 135 hp per liter, the Flying Spur V8 can reach 198 mph (318 km/h).
Furthermore, the catalytic converters are also placed near the cylinders inside the 90-degree V, allowing the emissions control system to quickly reach its optimal operating temperature. Since the converters are also proximate to the turbochargers, cold start emissions are heavily reduced.
Bores Coated For Durability; V8 Becomes V4
The V8 engine employs eight solenoid-driven injectors (up to 250 bar of pressure) that are centrally mounted in the combustion chamber just adjacent to the spark plug. The cylinder bores are coated with iron alloy (150 microns or as thick as a sheet of paper) to allow them to withstand high stress and wear.
Interestingly, the V8 engine can deactivate four of its eight cylinders under light-load conditions, specifically when the required torque is below 184 lb-ft (250 Nm) and engine speed is below 3,500 rpm. As befitting a Bentley, occupants won't be able to feel the deactivation, as every things happens faster than you can blink at 20 milliseconds. The deactivation optimizes fuel consumption by up to 30%, allowing for grand touring range of more than 441 miles.
Why The Flying Spur Is Driver-Focused
Bentley's eight-cylinder engine is just one of the reasons why the Flying Spur V8 is driver-focused. Other reasons include the installation of front and rear hollow, lightweight anti-roll bars, Bentley Dynamic Ride active anti-roll technology and Electronic All-Wheel Steering.
Source: Bentley