Drive Like a Boss. The Bentley Flying Spur V8

Drive Like a Boss. The Bentley Flying Spur V8

Prior to the economic crash of ‘08, I was a full-time editor for an online automotive startup. It was a magical time; the top-shelf booze never stopped flowing, and our office had a secure, covered place to store my sometimes-running Integra. I was living the high life, making dozens of dollars a day and thinking that the good times would last forever. Well – spoiler alert – they didn’t. And unlike my peers, I didn’t have a slew of backup editorial outlets to work for, so I had to jump industries.

So I became an ad man. I now work at a big-time advertising agency where I spend my days crafting brand stories that build awareness and inspire engagement. One day I’ll write something like, “Buy this soap. It’s good.” And on another, I’ll crank out a masterpiece like, “Eat these tacos. They’re good.”

And since work like that is pretty much guaranteed to earn me a Cannes Gold Lion or two, I’ll soon be among the creative elite who command day rates in excess of $3,000. And when that day comes, I’m buying me a Bentley Flying Spur.

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The Flying Spur V8 is by far my favorite of the Bentley lineup. It’s the sporty Bentley saloon, lighter and more athletic than the standard W12-powered version. And what’s more, this Bentley even has the requisite red badging to help add an extra horsepower or five. It’s the “just-right” Bentley, feeling less “soccer player” than the Continental, and less “aircraft carrier” than the Mulsanne.

But it’s still big, and man does it ever have a presence. Especially when – like my loaner – it’s sprayed in Dark Sapphire. It’s an elegant color, with a beautiful depth and richness that quickly turns vibrant when the light hits it just right. It also provides the perfect backdrop to let the jeweled headlamps and hand-polished grille pop. It’s a look that can’t be replicated in the more sedate, sensible colors usually found on this car.

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And as this Flying Spur V8 sits on some mentally massive 21-inch, 6-spoke rims, this car signals to everyone that its driver has arrived. It sure made me feel like a boss, so I did what any sensible person would do: I parked it right outside the front door of my office building, and then got in and out of the car several times so that everyone would know that this was my Bentley, and therefore I am important.