Regular readers will remember that the Bentley W12 Flying Spur has been one of my favourite cars to grace Parihoa farm. 

So it’s with eager anticipation I wait to now test the petrol V8 version that has just been released globally.

Being an owner of the current Bentley Continental GT W12 coupe, I love the sheer brute force and laziness of the W12. But some months ago, when getting it serviced, I was given a V8 coupe and somewhat rudely I discovered it was perhaps more fun to drive than the W12. The burbling V8 really won me over. 

The new Flying Spur gets the 407kW V8 and hits 0-100km/h at 4.1 seconds versus the W12 at 4.0 seconds. Bentley says the V8 offers a more “driver centric experience”.

It’s 100kg lighter than the W12 and has 17 per cent less emissions too.  Then throw in 16 per cent better efficiency on fuel and it’s hard to know why you would order the W12.

The V8 can be optioned with the “Blackline trim” package which does make it look sportier. However if you keep it standard the only material differences to the W12 are wheel design, V8 badges and the quad exhaust system.

You would still buy the W12 “because you can” and it’s probably the last run for this venerable engine. But you would be missing nothing and probably gaining a lot more if you went for the V8.

Can’t wait to test this one in New Zealand, and the good news that Kiwis can order one now with prices starting from $389,000, that’s $54,000 less than the W12.