The leading international authority on luxury has once again praised Bentley models as the premier examples in their class, as well as on matters of craftsmanship. Robb Report in its latest Best of the Best awards has named the Bentley Continental GT Speed the finest Grand Tourer and cited the exquisiteness of the Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid’s interior.
Both the Bentley Continental GT Speed and Flying Spur Hybrid have previously been included in Robb Report’s annual Best of the Best list. The Continental GT Speed was awarded the 2022 Car of the Year while the Flying Spur Hybrid retains its 2021 title of having the best automotive interior.
Regarding the Bentley Continental GT Speed, Robb Report wrote: “…that coupe’s inimitable fastback profile has expressed the ethos of the marque ever since, defining the very essence of a grand tourer, a car that can tackle transcontinental trips in both comfort and style.”
The luxury publication added: “That the Continental GT Speed was also named Robb Report’s 2022 Car of the Year is no surprise given its accomplishments in every measure. Effortless power and seemingly bottomless torque confer a sense of omnipotence on its driver, while passengers bask in a leather-and-wood environment so opulent it’ll make your private club jealous. Few automobiles are as sleek, timeless and imposing in their style — or honed with such an elegant edge — as this British-born heavyweight champion.”
In citing the Bentley Flying Spur’s interior anew, Robb Report stressed that “one of the most difficult accomplishments in sports is not winning a championship, but repeating the feat. That’s exactly what Bentley has achieved with the Flying Spur, which earned our Best of the Best accolade for its interior in 2021.”
Robb Report called the Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid’s cabin “an oasis of artisanal elegance, highlighting the superlative craftsmanship and design on which the 103-year-old marque forged its legacy.
“The sound-deadened interior is dressed in 3-D diamond-quilted leather upholstery and paneling, while the dash transitions from contemporary to classic with Bentley’s revolving display that toggles between digital infotainment, analog instrumentation and flush, open-pore veneer. Not to be overlooked are subtle yet distinctive touches such as hand-stitched trim and the ubiquitous knurled-metal surfaces, including those under the door handles that offer tactile refinement even for an otherwise invisible area,” the publication continued.
The Continental GT Speed is the most dynamic road car Bentley has made, and the current model is handcrafted in a carbon-neutral factory. As luxurious as other Continental GT versions are, the Speed variant boasts an uprated 6.0-liter W12 engine that makes 659 PS and 900 Nm. In Sport mode, the grand tourer’s steering, Bentley Dynamic Ride system and electronic limited-slip differential create a level of agility not found in any other Bentley road car. Its active all-wheel drive, traction control and torque distribution systems have also been recalibrated to focus on dynamism.
Besides having an interior unequivocally deemed as Best of the Best, the Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid demonstrates that having a sustainable power plant does not compromise luxury or performance. The model seamlessly blends a 2.9-liter V6 gasoline engine and an advanced electric motor to deliver 544 PS and 750 Nm. This combination makes the Flying Spur Hybrid the most efficient Bentley ever, capable of traveling more than 700 kilometers when fully fueled. The electric motor can be charged by the powertrain, or by plugging it into a charger.