The 2014 Bentley Flying Spur, the new one, is more or less of a direct rival to the 2014 Rolls Royce Ghost, even if the latter is more expensive, and it addresses a different clientele.

MotorTrend’s recent comparison of the two reveals each model’s strong points, though it does push one forth as the superior luxury cruiser – the Rolls, though it too is plagued by faults that cannot be overlooked in its price range.

Both cars are put through the standard set of acceleration, quarter-mile, braking and figure eight tests that the magazine has gotten us used to, and here the two are evenly matched, though the Bentley is ever so slightly quicker to 62 mph or 100 km/h: 4.3 seconds versus the Roller’s 4.4 recorded time. However, it does lose out in the quarter mile, despite the faster acceleration.

The Ghost is also the more comfortable of the two, which comes in contrast to the Flying Spur’s inability to make passengers and driver “not feel the road,” as it’s put in the video.

It (I think) also has the classier-looking interior, though the reviewers are keen to point out that its use of flimsy unsubstantial plastics used for some of the switchgear is not welcome, but then again the Bentley doesn’t do any better here, really, and it’s criticized for being too much like a big Audi both in its driving sensation and interior ambiance.

By Andrei Nedelea

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