Can a big luxury sedan become a supercar? Bentley states its case.

CONCEIVABLY those who own the oil wells are unlikely to feel the sting of refuelling a car, but that’s not really the point of the latest model out of Bentley being a hybrid.

Outright pace is more a headline from the Flying Spur being tailored into range-topping Speed form.

This makes the test edition of this long-lived model the first four-door ‘supercar’ to leave the company’s factory in Crewe, north-west England. Assuming, of course, you can accept a mammoth sedan is deserving of that title.

The car being fitted with the same 4.0-litre V8 plug-in hybrid system found on the latest Bentley Continental GT Speed also lends opportunity for this make to give it a lightly updated exterior and interior design.

But, really it’s the under-bonnet action that makes the news call.

Bentley calls this hybrid system its ‘Ultra Performance Hybrid’, which is no surprise when there’s 583kW and 1000Nm of torque at disposal. That comes partly from the 141kW electric motor, which is connected to a 25.9kWh plug-in battery, allowing the car to achieve up to 140kmh without the help of the petrol engine. But when the 447kW twin-turbocharged V8 joins the party, the car gets its full might, taking it from 0-100km/h in 3.5 seconds - half a second faster than the outgoing Flying Spur Speed.

It’s more economical, too, if that matters. Bentley says the car can drive in fully electric mode for up to 76km, and the battery can be charged in just under three hours thanks to a 11kW maximum charging speed.

Exterior tweaks are subtle, mainly a Speed-specific grille, as well as a new front bumper and rear diffuser. There’s an optional Styling Specification aero package, too and new 22-inch alloy wheel designs.

The Speed version comes with Bentley’s Performance Active Chassis technology as standard, including all-wheel steering and an adjustable suspension system so the car can be set up for comfort or handling. There’s a new electronic stability control system, too, built to work with the hybrid system, and there are new suspension components to improve comfort without sacrificing body control in the Sport setting.