There was a time when manufacturers didn’t have fun when it came to the presentation of their cars. Going to the campsite with a 200,000 euro model like the Bentley Flying Spur? Anyone who dared to do this as a journalist could expect a call from the PR people after publication – depending on the company. Believe me, I know a few cases.
Today, I hope, the relationship to luxury and one’s own product has relaxed. Otherwise, dear ladies and gentlemen, you have my telephone number: the exit on the Flying Spur led to Bispingen to the Center Parcs, I had promised that to the youngest son. We loaded the blue Ikea bag with bathing suits into the surprisingly meager 420 liter trunk, placed the electric trunk lid of silence over it, and off we went with 550 hp onto the motorway.
Although the car is designed with all-wheel steering and roll stabilization for every conceivable driving maneuver and every speed up to 318 km/h, the sedan drives most comfortably at a constant 120 kilometers per hour. Then the Great Briton, which has a wheelbase of 3.19 meters, shows its chauffeur qualities. Thanks to the acoustically glazed windows, no noise from outside penetrates, and inside, the passenger in the back felt content and even drowsy. I would like to attribute this to the well-padded leather seats, but there was a less comfortable booster seat squeezed between the upholstery and the bottom – what a waste.
Even though we couldn’t use all the entertainment options in the rear, with one screen per seat, due to the lack of a WiFi key, the passenger was brimming with enthusiasm. “Everything is luxury here,” stated the six-year-old. “There are even mirrors for children.”
I have no idea how many children are actually taken swimming in the Bentley, but there was actually a mirror for rear passengers. The highlight, however, was the retractable Bentley hood ornament, which consists of a B and two wings and even glows in the dark.
When we arrived at the Center Parc car park, the body stood out from the sheet metal at least as much as an EU flag Great Britain. In the first half of the year, Germany less than 500 registered (Bentleys, not flags), the body is rather rare. But the royal blue, which the manufacturer calls “Sequin blue”, also makes everyone look.
Bentley says that the additional chargeable color was once a customer’s request; the car paint should match her sequin dress. And, actually: The Sequin blue also matched our Ikea bag perfectly. What only the old PR hands will confirm: Never give a car that costs more than 200,000 euros into the hands of a journalist without knowing what she plans to do with it.
Sorry, but it was nice!