Compare the2024 Bentley Flying SpurVS 2024 Audi A8

The Flying Spur has standard whiplash protection, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the whiplash protection system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The A8 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Flying Spur has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the A8’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Flying Spur has standard Reversing Traffic Warning and automatically engage the brakes. Audi charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Assist on the A8.

Both the Flying Spur and the A8 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, around view monitors, available night vision systems and lane departure warning systems.

The Flying Spur comes with a full 3-year/unlimited-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The A8’s 50,000-mile basic warranty expires sooner.

The Flying Spur Hybrid’s standard 2.9 turbo V6 hybrid produces 201 more horsepower (536 vs. 335) and 184 lbs.-ft. more torque (553 vs. 369) than the A8’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid. The Flying Spur’s standard 4.0 turbo V8 produces 207 more horsepower (542 vs. 335) and 199 lbs.-ft. more torque (568 vs. 369) than the A8’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid. The Flying Spur’s optional 6.0 turbo 12-cylinder produces 291 more horsepower (626 vs. 335) and 295 lbs.-ft. more torque (664 vs. 369) than the A8’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Bentley Flying Spur turbo V8 is faster than the Audi A8:

On the EPA test cycle the Flying Spur Hybrid running on electricity gets better mileage than the A8 (43 city/50 hwy MPGe vs. 19 city/28 hwy).

The Flying Spur Hybrid can travel with zero emissions for 21 miles. The A8 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Flying Spur (except Hybrid)’s fuel efficiency. The A8 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The Flying Spur’s standard fuel tank has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the A8 (23.8 vs. 21.7 gallons).

The Flying Spur offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The A8 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Flying Spur’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The A8 doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the Flying Spur’s brake rotors are larger than those on the A8:

For better traction, the Flying Spur has larger standard tires than the A8 (F:265/45R20 & R:295/40R20 vs. 255/45R19). The Flying Spur’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the A8 (F:275/35R22 & R:315/30R22 vs. 265/40R20).

The Flying Spur’s standard 295/40R20 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the A8’s standard 45 series tires. The Flying Spur’s optional 315/30R22 rear tires have a lower 30 series profile than the A8’s optional 35 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Flying Spur has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the A8. The Flying Spur’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels optional on the A8.

The Flying Spur offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The A8 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Flying Spur’s wheelbase is 2.5 inches longer than on the A8 (125.7 inches vs. 123.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Flying Spur is 1.1 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than on the A8.

The Flying Spur handles at .98 G’s, while the A8 55 TFSI pulls only .93 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Flying Spur executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the A8 55 TFSI (24.7 seconds @ .78 average G’s vs. 25.9 seconds @ .7 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Flying Spur Rear Wheel Steering’s turning circle is 5.9 feet tighter than the A8’s (36.3 feet vs. 42.2 feet). The Flying Spur’s turning circle is 4.6 feet tighter than the A8’s (37.6 feet vs. 42.2 feet).

The Flying Spur has a much larger trunk than the A8 (14.8 vs. 12.5 cubic feet).

The Flying Spur has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the A8.

The Bentley Continental/Flying Spur outsold the Audi A8/S8 by 49 units during 2023.