Simply Abu Dhabi XXXVI

2 4 3 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I B efore setting off on the drive through the French alps with the new, third-generation Bentley Flying Spur, I asked myself, who would want to punt a 2.4-tonne luxury car through the narrowest of mountain passes? If you had the means to own one, surely you would also have the finances to have a more appropriate sports car for this setting as well? However, with a last minute driver shuffle before we set off, I was left without a car for the opening leg, so I rode in the back – where the owners of such cars usually reside – and it soon answered my thought bubble. Bentley has always been a more sporting brand than its primary competitor, Rolls-Royce and enjoys the fact that Bentley owners are a more even mix of owner-drivers and chauffeured, so the engineering team has to create a car that’s equally a five-star hotel in the back and a competent, rewarding driver’s car up front. The immediate impression in the back was space with acres of legroom. This is thanks to the new MSB platform it shares with the Bentley Continental coupe and the Porsche Panamera. Despite it being only 5mm longer than the old model, it includes a 130mm longer wheelbase with all that space going to the rear seat area thanks to the front axle also moving forward. A neat addition inspired by requests from Saudi women which was introduced on the last model and has been enhanced for this latest version, is a detachable touch screen remote control for the back seat that operates all the major functions including the powered side and rear blinds, climate control, rear seat massage