Driving the Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid 200 Miles in California

We took the Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid from Beverly Hills to Santa Barbara and back as part of the Global Media Drive and felt grand the entire way.

There are few things as synonymous with luxury as Bentley and the Flying Spur Hybrid is no exception. From the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, I selected my choice ride: the "Flawless Emerald" Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid.

From the busy bustle of Los Angeles, we headed north along gorgeous roads and viewpoints up to Santa Barbara in style. The car offers three different driving modes: EV Drive, Hybrid Mode, and Hold mode. EV Drive is best suited for short journeys using solely electric power, while Hybrid mode switches between petrol and electric power. Within Hybrid Mode the car can operate in Predictive E-Mode, automatically adjusting the ratio of petrol usage and electric power the drive to minimize emissions.   Her destination distance is not the only consideration, but speed limits and traffic congestion also play an important role in determining the best usage of the car's system. The third and final is Hold mode, in which the vehicle relies mainly on its petrol engine.

After a few hours journey, we joined the Home of Bentley for lunch. While the Flying Spur Hybrid charged, we tested out a few other iconic Bentleys. First up was a ride in a 1929 Bentley 4 1/2 litre that made us feel like 007 himself.

Next we experienced the Bentley's Continental CT Speed Convertible's pure power with its W12 engine.  

We rounded off the 200 mile road trip driving along the coastal Highway 1, making a stop at Malibu for sunset.

As according to the Bentley page, "The Flying Spur Hybrid is available to order in most markets, but is currently not available in EU27, UK, Switzerland, Israel, Ukraine, Norway, Turkey and Vietnam." The Flying Spur WLTP drive cycle: combined fuel consumption: 18.8 mpg (15 l/100 km), combined CO₂: 340 g/km.