Compare the2023 BMW M8VS 2023 Bentley Flying Spur

The M8 has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Flying Spur doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The M8 offers an optional Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Flying Spur doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The M8’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Flying Spur.

The M8’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Flying Spur doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the M8 and the Flying Spur have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The M8 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Flying Spur’s 3-year basic warranty expires 1 year sooner.

The M8’s corrosion warranty is 9 years longer than the Flying Spur’s (12 vs. 3 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the M8 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Bentley doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Flying Spur.

There are over 7 times as many BMW dealers as there are Bentley dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the M8’s warranty.

The M8’s 4.4 turbo V8 produces 81 more horsepower (617 vs. 536) than the Flying Spur Hybrid’s standard 2.9 turbo V6 hybrid. The M8’s 4.4 turbo V8 produces 75 more horsepower (617 vs. 542) than the Flying Spur’s standard 4.0 turbo V8.

As tested in Car and Driver the BMW M8 is faster than the Bentley Flying Spur:

On the EPA test cycle the M8 Competition gets better fuel mileage than the Flying Spur W12 running its gasoline engine (15 city/22 hwy vs. 12 city/19 hwy).

The M8 offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The Flying Spur doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

The M8 stops much shorter than the Flying Spur:

For better traction, the M8 has larger front tires than the Flying Spur (275/35R20 vs. 265/45R20).

The M8’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Flying Spur’s standard 45 series front and 40 series rear tires.

The M8 Gran Coupe handles at 1.02 G’s, while the Flying Spur pulls only .94 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The BMW M8 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 850 to 950 pounds less than the Bentley Flying Spur.

The M8 Gran Coupe is 1 foot, 5.5 inches shorter than the Flying Spur, making the M8 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The M8 Gran Coupe has 3.2 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front legroom and .1 inches more rear headroom than the Flying Spur.

The M8 Gran Coupe has a larger trunk than the Flying Spur (15.5 vs. 14.8 cubic feet).

The M8’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Flying Spur doesn’t offer folding rear seats, only a ski pass-through.

If the windows are left open on the M8 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Flying Spur can’t use the remote to operate the windows.

The M8’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Flying Spur’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Laser headlights, standard on the M8, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the Flying Spur’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the M8 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Flying Spur doesn’t offer cornering lights. The M8 also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The M8’s optional Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Flying Spur’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

The BMW M8 comes in coupe, convertible and sedan bodystyles; the Bentley Flying Spur isn’t available as a coupe or convertible.

The BMW 8 Series outsold the Bentley Flying Spur by over 11 to one during 2022.