Compare the2024 Bentley Flying SpurVS 2023 Tesla Model S

The Flying Spur’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Model S doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Bentley Flying Spur are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Tesla Model S doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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 Model S doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

An active infrared night vision system optional on the Flying Spur helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera and near-infrared lights to detect heat, the system then projects the image on the windshield, near the driver’s line of sight. The Model S doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The Flying Spur has a standard Top View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model S only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Flying Spur’s standard Reversing Traffic Warning uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and automatically engage the brakes. The Model S doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The Flying Spur has standard Private eCall, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model S doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Flying Spur and the Model S have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and available 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 Model S’ 50,000-mile basic warranty expires sooner.

The Flying Spur Hybrid’s maximum EPA estimated range on a full tank and a full charge is 483 miles, after which it can be refueled at any gas station in minutes. The Model S’ range is only 348 to 405 miles, after which the minimum time to recharge is 15 minutes for only a 49% charge at a specially configured quick charge station not available in most areas. A full recharge using a conventional 110-volt outlet can take up to 82 hours and 53 minutes.

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

For better traction, the Flying Spur has larger standard tires than the Model S (F:265/45R20 & R:295/40R20 vs. F:255/45R19 & R:285/40R19). The Flying Spur’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model S (F:275/35R22 & R:315/30R22 vs. F:265/35R21 & R:295/30R21).

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

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 Model S 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. Tesla doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Model S.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Flying Spur’s wheelbase is 9.2 inches longer than on the Model S (125.7 inches vs. 116.5 inches).

The Flying Spur handles at .98 G’s, while the Model S pulls only .86 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Flying Spur executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.8 seconds quicker than the Model S (24.7 seconds @ .78 average G’s vs. 26.5 seconds @ .7 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Flying Spur Rear Wheel Steering’s turning circle is 4 feet tighter than the Model S’ (36.3 feet vs. 40.3 feet). The Flying Spur’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the Model S’ (37.6 feet vs. 40.3 feet).

The Flying Spur has 8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Model S (102 vs. 94).

The Flying Spur has .1 inches more front shoulder room and 7.4 inches more rear legroom than the Model S.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Flying Spur’s rear seats recline. The Model S’ rear seats don’t recline.

With its sedan body style, valet key and remote trunk release lockout, the Flying Spur offers cargo security. The Model S’ hatchback body style and non-lockable folding seat defeat cargo security.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Flying Spur’s trunk can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model S doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Flying Spur’s entire steering wheel hub sounds the horn, facilitating hitting the horn in an emergency. The Model S has a small, single button on the steering wheel spoke that can be hard to find quickly in an emergency.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Model S, the Flying Spur has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Flying Spur offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Model S doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Flying Spur’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model S doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

A power rear sunshade and rear side window sunshades are standard in the Flying Spur to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Model S doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

Standard air conditioned seats in the front and rear seats keep the Flying Spur’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The Model S doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The Flying Spur has standard massaging front and rear seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Model S.