Bentley Continental Flying Star

Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera is a coachbuilder that has been around since 1926. Their earliest customers included the Alfa Romeo auto company. Introduced at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, this Bentley Continental Flying Star is a limited-production shooting brake inspired by Bentley’s latest Grand Tourers.

The basic design is a two-door coupé with an expanding roof line and bigger interior dimensions. Essentially it looks like a sports car with extra space, a cross between a wagon and a coupé.

To make it happen, a number of modifications had to be made, including extending the roof line and fitting an electrically operated tailgate. More interior space came about through mods like wider doors. The two rear seats are completely foldable to avail even more boot space. Overall the Flying Star is 4.8 metres long, 1.9m wide and 1.4m high. To reinforce the bodywork a new structure was installed between the rear suspension domes. It also acts as a roll bar.

The GTC’s chassis was retained while its 6.0-litre W12 engine is available in either a 412kW (560 PS / 553 hp), 650Nm (479 lb-ft) version or a 552kW (750 PS / 740 hp) Speed variant. Power is sent to all four wheels via a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The 0 -100km/h sprint takes an estimated 4.8 seconds and top speed is expected to hit 322km/h (200 mph).

The car is not just for show but will be produced per order in limited numbers of up to 20 units at €590,000 for the base model.