On the calendar July, outside the window almost +50, the United Arab Emirates are preparing to meet the offensive of Ramadan, business activity is steadily tending to zero. Apparently, so as not to get bored at all, the PR specialists from Performance PR Middle East decide to amuse themselves, and at the same time we have an unexpected proposal - to take a Bentley Continental Flying Spur model for a test drive. The surprise of the proposal is that not only July, but also 2011 is in the yard, and the name of the model indicated in the proposal clearly shows the year 2009. Nevertheless, Bentley, though a two-year-old, also a Bentley, we thought, and agreed .
On a bright July afternoon, in the parking lot opposite the Dubai Habtur Grand beach hotel, I transfer from my silver Mercedes to a dark blue Bentley, and begin to listen to my feelings, which must be formulated in order to subsequently convey to the reader. Anyone who expects to see the words “excellent,” “delightful,” “unimaginable,” or “enchanting” in the next paragraph, alas, is mistaken. As already mentioned in the first sentence, I moved to the Bentley salon not from the domestic Lada, but from a tuned version of a representative car, so that is all serious, on business and without unnecessary enthusiasm.
So here we go. If someone forgot, I remind you that we live in the 21st century, the very one that science fiction writers scared us in early childhood. And this means that almost every one of us has not just a mobile phone, but a smartphone that is cramped in our pockets. And so the first thing I do, sitting in the Bentley interior that smells of expensive beige leather and adjusting the seat, mirrors and steering wheel, is trying to find a “regular” place for my faithful friend - a cell phone. And ... I can’t find it! Later, after carefully reading the instructions, I found out that there is even a USB port in the cabin for connecting “smart” devices, but it is not intended for phones, but for players and is located ... in the glove box! Rumor has it that this was done specifically to deprive the driver of even the hypothetical opportunity to distract while driving on a ringing telephone.
With longing, I recall a smart shelf for a mobile phone next to the cigarette lighter in the Lexus LX570 saloon, and without putting the phone in the coffee stand, I throw it in the next passenger seat and continue to look around.
The brightest spot in the cabin ... no, not the steering wheel! And the liquid crystal LCD monitor, on which at that moment the performance indicators of the microclimate maintenance system in the cabin were displayed. Spoiled by modern technologies, a couple of times I habitually poke my finger on the screen, wanting to reduce the temperature to start a conversation with the on-board computer.
To my deep surprise, the screen remains indifferent to such an explicit request to meet and chat. I look below, find the panel with a bunch of buttons and understand that once again in the last five minutes something has seemed wrong to me. Look at your mobile friend, it doesn’t matter what you have - iPhone, iPod, HTC Desire or Samsung Galaxy - do you see the buttons? Tell me, did I expect too much when I suggested that in a car for 200 thousand US dollars is the most normal, already commonplace touch screen (in English - “touch screen”)? Yes, I heard that conservatives live in England.
Yes, I know that they still have a queen, but ... not to the same extent! On the second attempt, I switch the monitor to map display mode, I try to explain the purpose of my trip to the computer using buttons and wheels, from which I have long since weaned. After about five minutes, I understand with melancholy that in England not only the steering wheel on the right, but everything else is not like everyone else. As a result, for those few days while I was driving this car, I used the navigation system only in the mode of displaying the current location, since although I figured out the purpose, I simply did not have the patience to do this every time before the trip.
However, let's not talk about sad things. After all, it is not without reason that they say that in Bentley the main thing is not what is in the cabin, but what is under the hood. I have a smooth smooth road in front of me, no interference is foreseen on the left and right, so I do what everyone would do in my place - I put the gas pedal on the floor. No, I didn’t hear the squeal of rubber on the asphalt, and this sensation was even more unusual - 552 “Arabian horses”, which they managed to fit in five liters of twelve cylinders, silently pressed me into the seat. Feeling of delight
It is difficult to convey in words.
Unfortunately, Dubai today is not the same as it was before, automatic radars stand on the roads every kilometer of the way, and therefore when after a few seconds the speedometer needle reached 115 kilometers per hour, I threw off the gas. What is one hundred kilometers per hour at a time when the speedometer is laid out to an honest three hundred and forty? It feels like in the desert you were given a sip of cold water from a jug, and everything else was pointedly poured onto hot sand. Later, outside the city, I allowed myself more than one sip (I won’t write exactly how much, because all that has been said can be used against us), but I still couldn’t bring the speedometer needle to at least 300 km / h.
By the way, we still found the answer to the question of why such cars are needed if there are no roads in the world without radars, trucks and camels.
One day, for only four hours, we gave Bentley to one beautiful girl who was going to her friend's birthday party, organized in one of the restaurants of the Al Qasr hotel in the chic Madinat Jumeirah complex. Returning Bentley and transferring to her shiny Lexus mother-of-pearl, she told with a hint of sadness that today for the first time in her life, the doorman in the parking lot did not just open the car door traditionally and traditionally, boredly, but in an amiable voice asked in a ingratiating voice - can he drive away the car to the underground parking or madame deign, did the car wait for her right at the main entrance to the hotel?
And, probably, only at such moments you realize that this is what we expect from a car worth one million, and not some kind of boring shelf for a mobile phone or a screen that responds to the touch of a finger. Although, the devil is known to be in the details ...
Technical aspects of the Bentley Continental Flying Spur
The characteristic restraint that has become Bentley's corporate identity is also characteristic of the Continental Flying Spur model, the design of which, however, is both revolutionary and sophisticated-practical. The front of the car includes a new light chrome radiator lining, now standing upright, the edges of the body of this model are outlined more sharply, emphasizing the characteristic profile of the Bentley.
A bumper is located under the radiator lining, the entire lower edge of which is given under the wide central air intake, which increases air flow by 14%. The chrome-plated headlamp trim complements the updated design of the front of the car.
The rear bumper with a black lower sidewall and chrome trim makes the car look sleeker, complemented by new chrome trim for the taillights, making the Flying Spur instantly recognizable on the road.
From the very beginning of its release in 2005, the Continental Flying Spur model has earned a well-deserved reputation as the car with the most sophisticated interior. When creating the cars of the new model range, the Bentley team had the task to create a unique atmosphere of the best level of comfort and grace in the world.
The basis of this improvement is a complex set of improvements, such as the already very impressive Flying Spur sound-absorbing suspension technology. Double-glazed composite windows are a standard feature of the car, now all the side and rear windows are complemented by a layer of complex acoustic laminated material. In addition, a three-layer acoustic coating of the bottom of the hull and the outer pads of the wheel arches absorb external noise. Adding a resonator between the two rear exhaust silencers provides more driving comfort in a sporty style.
The heart of the Continental Flying Spur is the Bentley 6-liter twin turbocharged W12 engine - the most compact 12-cylinder engine. Energy is transmitted through a six-speed automatic transmission. The W12 engine has a capacity of 552 liters. with. (560PS, 412 kilowatts) at 6,100 rpm and a maximum torque of 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) at 1,600 rpm over the entire speed range.
Most of the suspension is made of lightweight aluminum, which undoubtedly improves the feel and provides driving comfort. Self-regulating air springs are a standard part of the car, continuously monitoring and adjusting the height and level of depreciation in accordance with the conditions of the road.
Bentley engineers also re-calibrated the shock absorbers and springs and introduced the new, custom-made 19-inch Pirelli P-Zero UHP tires. The hydraulic system of the Servotronic control system, which changes the degree of amplification with a change in the speed of movement, is adjusted to reduce friction.
The upgraded state-of-the-art electronic stability control (ESP 8.1) has a new Sport Traction mode that restrains the ESP at low speeds, guaranteeing excellent traction without driver intervention.
The new adaptive cruise control system uses a long-range radar sensor that is mounted on the front lower grille and monitors movement in front of the car. If a vehicle is detected ahead that is moving more slowly, the system adjusts the throttle and brakes to provide the desired distance in front of the moving vehicle and maintain the “time interval” selected by the driver.
All models of the Flying Spur series are equipped with the largest passenger car brakes available in production and sale, equipped with ventilated front (405 x 36 mm) and rear (335 x 22 mm) discs. Bentley carbon-ceramic brakes (CCB) are first offered as an option on the Continental Flying Spur. Cross-drilled front discs and 356 x 28 mm rear discs with 8-piston calipers can only function with 20-inch aluminum wheels.
The Bentley Continental Flying Spur is powered by Naim's new audio system, delivering the best in-car sound in the world. The system, designed by Naim, the famous British manufacturer of Hi-Fi equipment exclusive to Bentley, includes an 1100-watt amplifier, the most powerful device in a production car, and 14 built-in speakers.
The new interface for iPod, MP3 capabilities, as well as a USB jack located in the glove box allow you to connect your own music to the car's multimedia system. This perfectly complements the rear seat entertainment options package, which includes two 7-inch LCD monitors mounted in the headrests of the seats, a 6-disc DVD changer, two sets of headphones and a remote control.
All Flying Spur models have a number of significant advantages in modernizing the interior. Using the latest database of body profiles, the seats are designed to provide the optimal fit for the front and rear passengers.
In addition, the rear seat cushions are increased by 40 mm to provide added comfort and support. For the first time at Flying Spur, customers, when defining the configuration of five seats, can choose a one-piece rear seat across the entire width of the cabin with fully adjustable outside seats and a fixed middle.
External seats also have full adjustment in the lumbar region, are equipped with heating, cooling and massage functions, as well as the ability to adjust the position not occupied by the front seat passenger, to provide more leg space.
Continental Flying Spur customers now have a large selection of beautifully designed interiors. These include a chrome interior and door handles, as well as sophisticated mosaic made of wood, made in a modern and traditional way. Other features include a 16-color seat tube for interior decoration in both two colors and a plain style.
In addition, the choice of colors has become even wider. All armrests and door trim correspond to the main shade, while the lower door panels are combined with an external console. The color of the door handles can correspond to both the primary and secondary colors of the interior.
In addition to the Flying Spur palette, there are two new colors (Linen and Imperial Blue) along with three new standard exterior colors (Havana, White Sand and Onyx). For the first time, the Continental family is offered in four unique two-tone combinations (Havana, Dark Sapphire, Onyx and Midnight Emerald).
