Bentley Flying Spur Vs. Rolls-Royce Ghost: How The Two Ultra-Luxury Sedans Stack Up

The Bentley Flying Spur and the Rolls-Royce Ghost are from two brands owned by German automakers. While Bentley is owned by Volkswagen, Rolls-Royce is owned by BMW. Nevertheless, both brands produce these vehicles in the UK and tout their British heritage to their well-heeled customers.

Let's start with exterior dimensions. The Bentley Flying Spur, starting at $276,450 MSRP plus destination fee, rides on a 125.8-inch wheelbase and is 209.3 inches long, 78.3 inches wide, and 58.0 inches high. The trunk capacity is 12 cubic feet, and curb weight is 5,850 pounds. The Rolls-Royce Ghost, starting at $357,750 MSRP plus destination fee, has a wheelbase of 129.7 inches and is 218.8 inches long, 77.9 inches wide, and 61.9 inches high. The trunk has 18 cubic feet of space, and it weighs 5,500 pounds. Ghost comes out ahead on wheelbase, length, height, and trunk space, weighing slightly less. Our first drive of the Ghost found it polishing near-perfection.

Next comes performance. The Bentley Flying Spur Speed was tested by Car and Driver, with its 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 plug-in hybrid system producing 771 horsepower sent to all four wheels. The 0-60 mph run takes 3.1 seconds, with 0-100 mph happening in 7.3, with a top speed of 177 mph. Car and Driver also tested the Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge, with its 6.7-liter, twin-turbo V12 engine producing 591 horsepower to all wheels. The Ghost took 4.2 seconds to hit 60 mph and 10.3 seconds to get to 100 mph, while top speed is 155 mph. The performance crown goes to the Bentley Flying Spur.

While both of these ultra-luxury sedans have plenty of power, the Bentley Flying Spur is more likely the car you'd want to drive yourself. The Bentley does not isolate you from the driving experience, thanks to its rear-wheel steering and adaptive suspension with sport mode. But if you prefer to be driven and ride in the back seat, the Rolls-Royce Ghost offers an EWB (extended wheelbase) version that adds another 6.7 inches to the wheelbase for plenty of extra legroom in the back. 

To make either the Bentley Flying Spur or the Rolls-Royce Ghost a reflection of your personal taste, both offer a wealth of customization options. The Bentley provides the Mulliner build, which includes a new floating-diamond grille, matching fender vents, and exclusive 22" wheels with self-levelling Bentley badges that keep the 'B' upright. Unlocking the car brings the illuminated flying 'B' mascot up from its resting place under the hood to light your way forward. Inside, the center console features a diamond milled aluminum finish, with a Mulliner clock set into the dash and a huge selection of interior color combinations. Our first drive of the Flying Spur revealed the cheapest hybrid is hardly humble.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost offers Bespoke customization options, which run the gamut from digitally customized instrument dial colors to custom paint and interior fabrics to a fully coachbuilt limited-series vehicle such as the Sweptail, Boat Tail, or Droptail models, which are among the most expensive Rolls-Royce cars of all time.