2007 Bentley Continental Flying Spur

As a lifelong enthusiast of the marque and a former committee member of the owners’ club, our seller’s first Rolls-Royce was a Silver Ghost and he’s had something from the R-R or Bentley stable ever since.

Entering his eighth decade, he decided he needed something more sensible to potter around in – and it speaks volumes about his zest for life that a W12-engined behemoth like the Flying Spur was where he landed.

As the car’s second owner, he’s continued to maintain ‘LJ57 RSU’ properly: In all it’s had no fewer than 16 services in its lifetime, which is an impressive number given the odometer has only just clicked over to 22,000 miles.

Finished in Dark Sapphire Metallic and trimmed with blue and tan hide, it further benefits from the extra-cost rear entertainment option, giving your rear seat passengers even more reason to be grateful for your impeccable taste in motor cars.

It also runs and drives perfectly and is being offered with an advisory-free MoT, something it’s achieved on every single occasion since 2012.

Having only covered a few hundred miles a year for a while now, the owner has decided that now is the right time to let “the best car I’ve ever had” go to a new home.

It still looks magnificent, doesn’t it? 

Every Bentley has presence but the combination of Dark Sapphire Metallic coachwork (paint code LR5W) and the extra doors the Flying Spur brings to the game ensures this example has a imperial grace some of the more, er, ‘contemporary’ colours lack.

And hasn’t it survived well? 

With a lustrous sheen to that dark blue paintwork and displaying ultra-tight shutlines, it presents very well indeed with the four large grilles at the front adding purpose and style in equal measure: Still undamaged and geometrically flawless, they evoke Bentleys of old, piloted by chaps with impressive facial hair and a pipe clenched firmly between their manly jaws.

Of course, the colour works both ways; if black is the very worst colour of them all in the way it highlights even minor flaws, dark blue must run it a close second.

So, it isn’t perfect. We spotted the usual stonechips to the front end and above the windscreen plus two dents in the nearside front door. The nearside rear door has dents too, this time under the handle. The boot lid is scuffed, as is the top of the rear bumper, the driver’s door has a scratch towards the bottom, and both front doors have chips on their trailing edges. 

The split-rim Mulliner alloy wheels haven’t escaped unscathed either, showing a few light nibbles to their rims plus the odd spot of alloy corrosion. None of it is especially bad but we can see the new owner will probably want to get them refurbished when they fit new rubber.

Which will be in the very near future; while the matching Pirelli P-Zero tyres all have good tread left and no obvious damage to their sidewalls, they are date-stamped between 2007 and 2010 and are at the end of their useful life.

The rest of the exterior is very good: The lamp lenses are bright and free of chips and cracks; the badges are nice and shiny; the glazing is immaculate; the vulnerable corners and door mirrors cases are free of scuffs and scrapes; and all four red warning lamps and the puddle lamps illuminate when the doors are opened – and the doors still open and latch with uncanny precision.

The metal sunroof also glides and tilts smoothly too, sealing tightly when it is closed and offering a refreshing wisp of air when it’s open.

The tan and blue hide interior is as impressive in its scale as it is its execution: With a butter-soft finish, mm-perfect stitching, and no damage bar a little wear to the base and outer edge of the driver’s seat, Bentley was clearly at the top of its game when it built the Flying Spur.

There’s plenty of burr walnut veneer too, and this is free of chips, cracks, and peeling lacquer. The headlining is clean, taut, and undamaged too, an assessment that applies equally to the Wilton carpets and deep-pile lambswool rugs. 

Many of the controls have a deep chrome finish, which adds tactility to their operation, which is still impressively crisp and will come as a bit of a revelation to anyone who’s become accustomed to prodding touchscreens in their modern daily driver.

Not that the Bentley is an Old-World anachronism because it’s stuffed to the gills with genuinely useful stuff like electric windows and mirrors, cruise control, air-conditioning, sat-nav, phone connectivity, cupholders, and electrically adjustable and heated front seats that even feature a massage function.

Other reassuringly opulent features include embossed Bentley logos throughout, the odd knurled switch, and that iconic Breitling clock, 

Those sitting in the back will be able to take advantage of a rear entertainment system that includes walnut-framed screens fitted in the back of the front headrests. The wide central armrest features a pair of cupholders too plus what seems to be unused Alpine headphones. 

They will also enjoy acres of legroom, individual controls for the air-conditioning and heating system, and even heated outer seats. 

The luggage space is as vast as it is well trimmed. Beautifully clean, the tool kit, hazard warning triangle, and space-saver spare wheel appear to be unused. The boot also contains a Bentley battery conditioner.

The Bentley’s service history booklet records the following routine maintenance:

• 23.10.2007 and 20 miles – pre-delivery inspection by Jack Barclay
• 13.11.2008 and 2,392 miles – service by Jack Barclay
• 27.09.2009 and 4,321 miles – service by Jack Barclay
• 26.11.2009 and 4,825 miles – service by Jack Barclay
• 20.07.2011 and 9,514 miles – service by Jack Barclay
• 31.07.2012 and 12,027 miles – service by Jack Barclay
• 18.04.2013 and 13,261 miles – service by Jack Barclay
• 27.02.2014 and 13,503 miles – service by Bentley Surrey
• 25.02.2015 and 16,371 miles – service by Bentley Berkshire
• 22.02.2016 and 17,782 miles – service by Bentley Berkshire
• 21.02.2018 and 19,280 miles – service by Bentley Berkshire
• 21.02.2019 and 19,972 miles – service by The Beaconsfield Workshop
• 02.03.2020 and 20,550 miles – service by The Beaconsfield Workshop
• 17.03.2021 and 20,703 miles – service by The Beaconsfield Workshop
• 29.03.2022 and 20,993 miles – service by The Beaconsfield Workshop

The past couple of services have been done by Ivor Miles of Haddenham, who might not be a marque specialist but was recommended to the seller by no fewer than three other members of the Oxford chapter of the owners’ club. 

He too has been very impressed with their work but cannot find the associated invoices. However, we have no doubt that Mr. Ward could confirm and even perhaps provide duplicates.

Remarkably, the owner also tells us that new boot struts were the only additional work needed during his tenure; clearly, if you look after ‘em properly they can be cheaper to run than you think.

The video demonstrates that the twin-turbo W12 engine starts promptly and settles into an immediate steady idle, something that’s barely discernible from the cabin without checking the tachometer.

Pressing the throttle barely increases the noise the driver hears and even standing in front of the engine with the bonnet raised reveals little more than a muted roar. The twin exhaust tailpipes emit a hearty note though, which is as it should be.

There are no warning lights illuminated on the dashboard either, nor unusual sounds or excessive smoke.

The test drive confirmed that there are few better ways to get from A-to-B than in a Flying Spur, the combination of the silky-smooth W12 engine, air suspension, and comprehensive soundproofing cocooning you better than almost any of its contemporaries.

The engine bay is very clean and neatly presented, although if we’re being ultra-picky then the Bentley badge is a little discoloured. We also note that it is due its annual service.

The underside is very clean with only light surface rust on the steel components and fasteners, very light scratches to the plastic undertray, and the odd patch of peeling underseal. 

There’s certainly nothing more serious than that, as you’ll see in the next section…

The Bentley’s MoT certificate expires in March 2027, which is pretty good. 

It was also issued with no advisories, which is even better – but then it has only ever had one advisory and that was back in 2011.

Today’s words are ‘fastidious curation’.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and it comes with two key fobs.

The history file also contains the Bentley book pack, the all-important stamped service history booklet, and some invoices.

NB: The personalised registration number shown in the photos has been retained by the seller and the Flying Spur now wears the registration plate  ‘LJ57 RSU’.

We’ve always admired the Bentley Continental GT, and the addition of a few extra inches and two more doors to create the Flying Spur makes them even more desirable.

As long as you buy the right example.  

Because there are an awful lot of dodgy cars out there flouting a low sticker price in the hope you’ll get a bit giddy and ignore the dodgy MoT history and the lack of regular routine maintenance.

But there are good examples to be found, albeit far fewer of them – and fewer still are cars that have had just two owners from new and boast such an impressive service history allied to a barely-run-in odometer reading.

And the price for this top-flight Flying Spur?

We suggest the dust will probably settle somewhere between £15,000 and £20,000, which is a small price to pay for entry into one of the most exclusive automotive clubs in the world.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.