FLYING PRESIDENTIAL CLASS

For those of us who haven’t quite reached the point of spending the same amount of money on a car as a house in the midlands, getting the chance to play the role for a while can be quite fun discovers Paddy Comyn

As I stand in Charles Hurst Specialist Cars in Belfast, I can’t help starting to guess about just how the people standing sipping coffee, flicking through brochures and being carefully attended to by the sales staff came to earn their money.

The obvious difference between me and the people that day, apart from my shoes and my less expensive suit, is that I am a fake. I don’t have the €270,000 that I would have to hand over for the silver Bentley Flying Spur that is sitting in the car park, but my new, perfectly dressed friends aren’t to know.

IMAGE REVAMP

Bentley has really changed its image over the last few years. From a company that had a very long tradition of motor racing excellence, its cars of the 1980s and 1990s were large, luxury couches that were a little on the musty side.

But now, under the guidance of Volkswagen, the cars have taken on a new life. Sure enough, the Continental GT that started the renaissance has become something of a default choice for Premiership footballers, but there is no denying its technical excellence.

But it is the Flying Spur that has really brought the Bentley name back to where it should be. And with so many self-made millionaires and plucky entrepreneurs looking for the next step up from the ubiquitous Mercedes S-Class or increasingly popular Maserati Quattroporte, the Flying Spur might just be the answer.

BIG PERSONALITY

This is a magnificent car to behold. Quite simply, it is enormous. Weighing in at 2.5 tonnes, and some 5,307mm long, it is the length of two smart cars and considerably more powerful. Under the enormous bonnet is a 6.0-litre V12 putting out 552bhp and its CO2 emission figure is 410g/km, which meant I would certainly be melting a polar icecap somewhere.

For me this car looks better than the Continental GT. There is no denying that the GT is a pretty car, but I think this car works better as a saloon. For such a large car, the proportions are just right and sitting on the 19-inch alloy wheels, it looks nothing short of magnificent.

The interior is a blend of wood and leather everything. Sitting in the front seat of this type of car is always something of a remote experience. Because so much of the car and the leather and the comfort is behind you, you tend to feel a little cheated. But the joy of the Flying Spur isn’t too far away. You could argue that this is a car that you should really be chauffeured in, so what is the point in driving it yourself? Well, apart from the fact that it is whisper quiet, has every gadget you could ask for, all discreetly packaged, and is surprisingly easy to navigate around town, the real fun happens when you put your foot down.

MOMENTUM

There is no major fuss and certainly no drama. But stamp on the right foot pedal and the 552 horses rear up and go discretely bonkers. You don’t so much sprint as gather momentum incredibly quickly and once this momentum has started, the horizon comes at you at an alarming rate. It takes just 4.5 seconds to get to 100km/h and if you had the road (and the legislation) you would reach 325km/h.

Equipped with four-wheel drive, variable suspension settings and well-weighted steering that gives great feedback, the Flying Spur belies its size and it is actually very fun to drive and can be driven enthusiastically, should you feel the need. That is, of course, if you ever get out of junctions.

OPULENT

You could look at rivals to the Flying Spur as being cars like the Maybach, which nobody really buys, and the Rolls Royce Phantom, which will cost you considerably more. Then there are the mainstream rivals, such as the top end Mercedes S-Class, BMW 7-Series, Audi A8 and Lexus LS600H. The Bentley sits nicely between these. Yes, it is incredible in its opulence and outlandish in its extravagance, but it is a really impressive car to behold and to drive and I really believe that, despite my junction fiasco, it is a car that people might not hate you for owning, unless of course they are environmentalists and they look at your carbon footprint.

There is no doubting that this is a pretty magnificent car and while it is difficult to get your head around spending the money on it, it will make perfect sense to those people who want the presidential suite, the finest champagne and the handmade tailored suit. It is luxury in a technically superb package.

Published in the February/March 2008 Issue of Irish Entrepreneur