Compare the2024 Bentley Flying SpurVS 2024 Audi S8

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 S8 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 S8’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 S8.

Both the Flying Spur and the S8 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 S8’s 50,000-mile basic warranty expires sooner.

The Flying Spur’s optional 6.0 turbo 12-cylinder produces 63 more horsepower (626 vs. 563) and 74 lbs.-ft. more torque (664 vs. 590) than the S8’s 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Bentley Flying Spur turbo V8 is faster than the Audi S8:

On the EPA test cycle the Flying Spur Hybrid running on electricity gets better mileage than the S8 (43 city/50 hwy MPGe vs. 15 city/24 hwy).

The Flying Spur Hybrid can travel with zero emissions for 21 miles. The S8 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 S8 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 S8 (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 S8 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 S8 doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the Flying Spur’s brake rotors are larger than those on the S8:

The Flying Spur stops shorter than the S8:

For better traction, the Flying Spur’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the S8 (F:275/35R22 & R:315/30R22 vs. 265/35R21).

The Flying Spur’s optional 315/30R22 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 30 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the S8’s optional 35 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Flying Spur offers optional 22-inch wheels. The S8’s largest wheels are only 21-inches.

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 S8 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The Flying Spur offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Audi doesn’t offer an active suspension on the S8.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Flying Spur’s wheelbase is 2.5 inches longer than on the S8 (125.7 inches vs. 123.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Flying Spur is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 1.8 inches wider in the rear than on the S8.

The Flying Spur handles at .98 G’s, while the S8 pulls only .94 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Flying Spur Rear Wheel Steering’s turning circle is 2.4 feet tighter than the S8’s (36.3 feet vs. 38.7 feet). The Flying Spur’s turning circle is 1.1 feet tighter than the S8’s (37.6 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The Flying Spur has a much larger trunk than the S8 (14.8 vs. 12.5 cubic feet).

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