2015 Bentley Flying Spur V8

2015 Bentley Flying Spur V8

Episode 3417
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

Last year, the Bentley Flying Spur dropped Continental from its name, but it lost nothing when it came to showcasing British luxury performance motoring at its best. Well, this year it loses something else…4-cylinders from its signature W12 engine. So, let’s see if less turns out to be more. 

Yes folks, as much as we hate to admit it, sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. That’s where this 2015 Bentley Flying Spur V8 comes in. 

For some, 12-cylinders pumping in harmony to produce glorious amounts of power is just more than they can handle or perhaps wish to pay for. 

But this is no lightweight V8 we’re talking about here. It’s Audi’s aluminum 4.0-liter twin-turbo unit that, after some unique Bentley tweaks, performs some internal combustion magic of its own, pulling 500-horsepower and 487 lb-ft. of torque. That may be over 100-horsepower less than the W12, but with 100-pounds of weight also removed from the front end, it should translate to a more enjoyable experience at the track.

So we “suited up” in proper Bentley fashion and made haste to our test facility. And unless you’ve recently driven the W12 Flying Spur, you’d be hard pressed to notice a difference in acceleration, as this thing just flat takes off. There’s gobs of power off the line, and rear-biased all-wheel-drive to apply it.

Power continues to build in a very linear fashion, and 60 miles-per-hour arrives in just 4.6-seconds. That’s only a tenth off  our time in the W12. The 8-speed automatic transmission provided smooth and fast shifts, and in 12.9-seconds, we were at the end of the ¼-mile with the needle pointing at 111 on the speedo. So, unless you absolutely will settle for nothing but the best or are always in a real hurry, there’s not much need for the 12. 

At 5,300-pounds plus, there’s still a lot of weight to hustle through the cones. But this Flying Spur does so with surprising agility, though you want to make sure suspension is at its firmest setting to keep body roll at a minimum. You can find both under and over steer should you go looking, but initiating either requires some very aggressive inputs with the wheel or with the throttle. 

Even more amazingly, bringing this 2½-ton dreamliner to a halt from 60 happens in just 107-feet, with smooth and steady stops that belie the frictional ferociousness that is transpiring behind this car’s 21-inch painted alloys. 

Though technically no longer part of the Continental family, the Flying Spur sees similar exterior embellishments to last year’s Continental GT Coupe V8. That means it’ll take a keen or perhaps distinguished eye to spot the dark finish to the grilles, red background of the flying B logo, and figure-8 shaped exhaust finishers.

There’s always lots to love when you’re talking about Bentley interiors. Now, we can’t say this Newmark tan motif would be our first choice in color as we prefer to leave the saddle-brown theme to our pickups, but material quality and finish are every bit as exquisite as you would expect.  

Amenities include beautiful Eucalyptus wood veneer, picnic trays, Naim for Bentley Premium Audio, refrigerated bottle cooler, massaging seats, full length center console with seating for just two in the back, dual LCD screens, and a remote to control most of the cars functions from the back seat. 

If you’re smart enough to send the chauffeur home for the day and take up residence in the front seat, you’ll agree that this may be the best handling close to 3-ton sedan out there. It does indeed feel massive, but highly capable and stable. Just plan ahead a bit for turns as there’s no dartiness to it. 

While this basic chassis has been around for quite some time, and we wonder just how much further corporate parent Volkswagen can go with it, does the average luxury buyer really care about any of that? Probably not, and you won’t either. Just relax and enjoy the ride. 

Despite the smaller V8 engine, there’s still a gas guzzler tax, as Government Fuel Economy Ratings come in at 14-City, 24-Highway, and 17-Combined. Our average of 18.0 miles-per-gallon of Premium was around 8% better than we achieved in the W12 Flying Spur. That still makes for a very poor Energy Impact Score however, burning through 19.4-barrels of oil per year while expelling 8.5-tons of CO2. 

Priced about $20,000 under the W12 at $200,245, it may be the everyman’s Flying Spur, but it’s still not for every man or woman; more for those with the necessary “funds” be they trust, hedge, or otherwise.  

Much as in the Continental GT Coupe, the V8 engine in the 2015 Bentley Flying Spur sedan makes for a better overall car. Sure, in the luxury realm there is always an accepted space for prestigious overkill. But as far as we’re concerned, this is a case of less is more. 

Specifications

  • Engine: 4.0 liter
  • Horsepower: 500
  • Torque: 487 lb-ft.
  • 0-60 mph: 4.6 seconds
  • 1/4 mile: 12.9 seconds @ 111 mph
  • EPA: 14 mpg city/ 24 mpg highway
  • Energy Impact: 19.4 barrels of oil/yr
  • CO2 Emissions: 8.5 tons/yr
2025 Porsche Taycan Turbo GT 1

2025 Porsche Taycan Turbo GT

It’s A Turbo GT With No Turbos Or Even An Engine

Episode 4432
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

In an era when even mass market EVs have mind-bending acceleration, how do performance-minded brands such as Porsche stand out? Well, you take things to an even higher level of road-going insanity. Hold on for this one! The Porsche Taycan Turbo GT just changed the game again.

When the original Porsche Taycan arrived for 2020, it did not disappoint. We blasted the Turbo S version to 60 in 2.8 seconds and hustled that hefty Hoss around Roebling Road Raceway with 911-like proficiency. None of that was enough for Porsche. So, for 2025, the Taycan gets more range, more style, more tech, and of course it does it all faster than before too. And that’s before we even get to this Porsche Taycan Turbo GT which is new to the lineup.

For our return trip to Roebling Road, there was a threat of a major winter storm about to impact our track time, so we wasted none of it, hitting the track early and often. And it’s still amazing how this big battery on wheels can feel so Porsche like. No other brand has been able to accomplish a similar feat. We laud BMW for even coming close with the i4, but here you get the full capable and confident Porsche experience; even the brakes feel incredibly natural and powerful, ceramic brakes are standard with the Turbo GT.

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Having said that, it remains a very heavy vehicle, so while you’re hustling it around the track it does tend to feel more like work than fun. Many EVs dial back the power as soon as you get up to speed, but here in the Turbo GT, it never seemed to let up, building to the point we reached over 170 mph on Roebling’s front straight, and the way it powers out of corners is otherworldly.

Now, while it does absolutely shred on a racetrack, it really feels best just high-speed sweeping your way through life on some scenic roads through the countryside. This Turbo GT’s 760-kW dual-motor setup cranks out 1,019 horsepower and 914 lb-ft of torque with Launch Control, which allows for sprinting to 60 in 2.2 seconds and clearing the quarter-mile in less than 10. But alas, that winter storm arrived and covered the track in snow before we got a chance to verify that.

You get the full capable and confident Porsche experience.

All Taycans get a new rear motor for ’25, along with updated software and improvements to the cooling system. And guess what? It charges faster too, now accepting up to 320 kW, getting it to 80% in as little as 18 minutes. There’s a 30% boost to the energy capture from regen braking as well, now up to 400 kW. What the Taycan desperately needed was more range, because who wants all this fun to ever stop; and it has been increased by as much as 35% throughout the lineup, now delivering as many as 318 miles; 276 for this Turbo GT.

The Turbo GT features a unique front splitter and active rear spoiler, but all Taycans get revised styling for ’25 including upgraded lighting and a revised front clip that both improves aerodynamics and accentuates the Taycan’s substantial width. All wheels have been aerodynamically optimized as well.

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Things inside look mostly the same, but they have improved the functionality of their multimedia setup, moved some controls around, and provided more standard content. It’s a borderline luxury car experience as far as amenities and tech go, yet it still has a purposeful feel to it; and whether things are covered in Race-Tex or real leather everything looks and feels great. Gauges are of course all virtual now, but they can still have a traditional look if you prefer. You really have to duck down to get into the rear seats, but space is plentiful; and with a pair of trunks, there’s abundant luggage space too.

Using 41 kilowatts of electricity for every 100 miles, the Turbo GT earns a fair Efficiency Rating. There are now more options than ever across the Taycan lineup, and that’s even before you even get to Cross Turismos and Sport Turismos. So, while this Turbo GT may cost $231,995 to start, you can get largely the same experience for as little as $101,395 for a base Taycan.

The 2025 Porsche Taycan Turbo GT is more than just a fantastic EV; it’s a great car period, and even a terrific Porsche. With the recently released Macan Electric SUV and the upcoming Boxster and Cayman EVs, more than any other brand, Porsche is giving us reasons not to fear the electrified future.

Specifications

As Tested

  • Motor Setup: Dual Motor
  • Battery Size: 105 kWh
  • EPA Range: up to 276 miles
  • Horsepower: 1,019
  • Torque: 914 lb-ft
  • 0-60 mph (est.): 2.2 seconds