The “Flying Spur” name in the Bentley line-up traces its roots to 1957 when chief designer J.P. Blatchley and engineer Ivan Evernden introduced a four-door luxury variant of the famous Continental, specifically named after the personal family heraldic crest, the Clan Johnstone of the Scottish Borders, belonging to Arthur Talbot Johnstone, the managing director of famed British coachbuilder H.J. Mulliner.
The first example even featured the Clan Johnstone’s spur mascot on its radiator grille. Following the success of the H.J. Mulliner Flying Spur, coachbuilder James Young also offered a bespoke interpretation of a four-door Continental, but the Flying Spur name only refers to the Mulliner versions, officially known as the Continental Flying Spur.
From the Mulliner era of the late 1950s and 1960s, the Flying Spur nameplate has undergone an interesting transformation from an exclusive coach-built derivative to a modern standalone flagship sedan. Revived in 2005 under Volkswagen Group ownership, the Continental Flying Spur was designed as the four-door sibling to the two-door coupé, combining limousine comfort with remarkable performance. With the debut of the second generation in 2013, the “Continental” prefix was dropped, allowing the Flying Spur to establish its own identity as Bentley’s ultimate luxury sedan. Today, it remains the marque’s benchmark for effortless performance, handcrafted luxury, and long-distance refinement.
Report by FERDI DE VOS | Images © BENTLEY MOTORS
