How We'd Spec It: The New Bentley Flying Spur Imagined Four Different Ways by Our Staff

Charles Dryer: Just because Bentley allows you to configure an in-your-face Flying Spur doesn't mean you should. While the deep red hues of this Cricket Ball paint look more like black on the computer screen, I'm sure this color would ooze class in person, especially in the early evening sunlight of downtown Los Angeles. I stuck with the 21-inch wheels to preserve the cushiest ride quality and because the 22-inchers resemble Lincoln's Black Label wheels. And the illuminated Flying B hood ornament is so important that it really ought to be standard.

The subtle dark-purple Damson leather may be too bland for some, but in combination with the Koa veneer (that I also optioned on the door panels), I think it maintains the Flying Spur's reserved dignity and won't evoke eye rolls from your passengers. I did toss in Cricket Ball contrast stitching and seat piping to liven up the interior, but Bentley's materials, features, and interior design do most of the heavy lifting. When you're spending this much on a vehicle, most options become why-nots. Most interesting to me were the Bang & Olufsen audio system, the panoramic sunroof, the rotating center display, and the fresh-air intake and air ionizer. Oh, and I got the smoker's package—for resale value, of course.

Daniel Golson: I have slightly extravagant taste—okay, very extravagant taste—so I reject the idea that you shouldn't spec a Bentley to be in-your-face. The green Verdant paint is classy and classic, but still interesting enough to catch your eye. Instead of taking the chrome trim away, I added even more to the lower air intakes and the mesh behind the already very chrome grille. I think the polished 22-inch wheels look amazing and they're part of the must-have Mulliner specification, which also adds fantastic quilting to the seats. I deleted the W12 badge on the front fenders though, as I don't want to be too boastful.

I went with a split interior scheme that both matches and contrasts the exterior. The eye-catching Newmarket Tan main hide looks close to orange in person, and I paired it with a nice dark Cumbrian Green. The bi-color wood trim in Koa and Grand Black sets off the leather colors, and I had to have the wild new 3D quilted door panels. When it came to the options, I went for literally everything, because duh. The extensive list includes extra diamond knurling on the metal switchgear, contrasting stitching and piping, a removable touchscreen remote for rear passengers, lambswool floor mats, and the top-end Naim audio system. The Naim's speaker grilles aren't as pretty as the B&O's, but it's better and will be more expensive, so that box had to be checked.

Alexander Stoklosa: I buy into that whole "gentleman racer" image Bentleys carried back in the day—you know, before they morphed into heavy luxury sleds with little business taking to a racetrack. It doesn't matter that the Flying Spur will never enter a race, nor that it is a four-door sedan. I still wanted to give it the performance look. The special Black Crystal paint provided a menacing base, and I further held the blacked-out theme with the appropriately named Blackline specification. This kit also included 21-inch five-spoke wheels that, you probably noticed, also are black (although each wheel has polished spokes for a pop of contrast).

If my Flying Spur's exterior wears a bruiser look, the inside's color scheme is, um, literally bruise-like. I couldn't resist the Hotspur and Cricket Ball split-color interior—both for the name and for its blood-red-over-coagulated-blood-red hotness. Stepping into my Flying Spur is like going inside someone's kidney, only this internal organ benefits from subtle contrast stitching and piping, split-veneer trim (burled walnut over piano black), and Bentley's sparkling diamond knurling for the switchgear. Oh, and it has a bumpin' stereo; I went with the Naim unit because it seems fancier than the Bang & Olufsen setup. Other flourishes I added include LED puddle lamps for the doors, interior ambient lighting, deep-pile carpets, and the rotating touchscreen display. And I couldn't pass on the the wireless phone charging pad. After all, gentlemanly racers have phones, too.