The Flying Spur was originally known as the Continental Flying Spur, but the Continental element of the name has now been dropped with the arrival of this all new model in 2013.

I thought if it’s good enough for the Royal Family, then it’s good enough for me. Even the young Royals are now seen driving or being driven in a Bentley, and why not, it is an outstanding car.

The last time we drove a Flying Spur was Spring 2013.We drove it from Chester, into Wales and onto a race circuit near Anglesey. We thought a huge and heavy car like this on a track would never ever work - but how it proved us wrong! It went round the corners like it was on rails and stuck to the road like it had Velcro on the tyres, quite amazing.

The car we had on test was powered by a 6 litre twin turbocharged W12 petrol engine that produces a massive 625ps, goes from 0-62 mph in a staggering 4.3 seconds (yes 4.3 seconds!) and a top speed of 200mph. It is a quick thing and to say it is so large it is an engineering masterpiece. The Flying Spur has so much power, yet with it being coupled to a four-wheel drive system, the power goes to the road with ease, no wheel spin and never any doubt of its ability to go around any corner at any speed, it feels rock-solid.

All this power, road-holding, stability and exceptional cornering do come at a price in terms of economy and its green credentials. The official combined mpg is a mere 19 mpg, which no doubt will be difficult to achieve and the CO2 emissions figure is a whopping 343g/km.

The interior is really where the Flying Spur scores high points, as it is just so magnificent to look at, touch, feel and smell. It is a really nice place to sit, whether you are driving it, sat in the passenger seat or being chauffeured sat in the rear. Every seat is so comfortable and you feel so cosseted. Bentley have always majored in producing motor cars that are rich in the finest wood and leather, sourced from the best possible suppliers from around the world, and this is so evident in the Flying Spur.

There is no secret that Bentley is owned by the Volkswagen Group and quite rightly parts are used from other group companies, which ensure quality, reliability and it also helps to keep down costs. When you first sit in the driver’s seat of the Bentley you notice that some of the switch gear, knobs and levers do look and feel very similar to an Audi. I would guess that anyone who has driven an A4, A6 or A8 would feel at home very quickly, and would not need to get out the owner’s manual to understand what everything does or where it is.

All these items in the cockpit are tried and tested, so why change them for change sake? But Bentley has been clever by adding their own bits to make sure everyone knows they are in a Bentley and not a posh Audi. The air vents stay with tradition, by having large chrome ‘Push-Pull’ levers and not some cheap plastic round vents. The wood and leather is superb and the stitching is just fabulous, with a high degree of craftsmanship being displayed throughout the car.

For rear seat passengers there is a small display, about the size of an iPhone, which is situated in between the two front seats and is removable. This small handheld device allows passengers to see how fast the car is travelling, operates the heating and a whole host of other things. It is very clever and great fun to use. The car we had on test had two rear screens with individual DVD players and headphones. Therefore both rear passengers can watch different things at the same time, which does not contribute to a good conversation but does make a journey go much quicker.

There is plenty of legroom in the rear, but not as much as an Audi A8 LWB, although more than enough for the tallest person.

The Flying Spur weighs 2,475kg compared to the A8 at 2,055kg and the length of the Bentley is 5299mm compared to the Audi at 5,267mm.

The Bentley is a big heavy car, but driving it feels so nimble and easy to drive.

The price of this high quality, prestigious motor car which really is fit for a King, Queen or any of their family is £140,900 OTR, although you could spend considerably more on a few extra options.

Martin Ward, Manufacturer Relationship Manager