Crewe, Cheshire - WO Bentley built big, fast sports-cars for enthusiastic drivers; in today’s terms, cars with attitude. It was only after the company was taken over by Rolls-Royce in 1931 that the attitude was overlaid with a veneer of respectability.
Now the attitude is back, with the advent of the Black Edition Bentleys: More power, edgy styling, and a distinct lack of respect for the establishment. And none more so than the new Flying Spur V8 S Black Edition, to go by the details released today.
It starts with a whole lotta black, including the radiator and window surrounds, headlight washer caps, door mirror housings and door-handle inserts in a striking black gloss finish, dark-tinted head and tail-light lenses, and special seven-spoked 21 inch wheels finished in (you guessed it) gloss black, over your choice of red or black-finished brake callipers.
Stitched leather
The interior is trimmed in a single dark colour (not necessarily black, we are assured) with bold contrasting stripes of stitched leather on the seats and integral head restraints, and matching contrast stitching throughout. Interior trim elements are finished in piano black veneer, and a three-spoke Sport Plus steering wheel is standard issue.
The Black Edition’s four-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 is tuned to ’S’ specification - 388kW at 6000 revs and 680Nm at 1700rpm - and drives all four wheels in a 40:60 rear-biased torque split; Bentley says that’s enough to get this two-and-a-half-ton luxury sedan off the line to 100km/h in less than five seconds and up to 306km/h flat out.
Want even more attitude?
Ask for the Mulliner Driving Specification, which includes diamond-quilted leather with contrast stitching in the seat and door panels and a choice of two 21 inch, five-spoked Directional Sports wheels, finished in gloss black or dark tint.