Bentley Flying Spur vs Jaguar XF
What's the difference?

Bentley Flying Spur

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2024 price

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Jaguar XF

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2018 price

View pricing & specs

Maserati Quattroporte

Mazda 6

McLaren Artura

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A35

Mercedes-Benz AMG GT

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz C43

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Mercedes-Benz CLA

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Summary

2024 Bentley Flying Spur

2018 Jaguar XF

By Stephen Corby

By Peter Anderson

Safety Rating

Engine Type

V12, 6.0L

Diesel Turbo V6, 3.0L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Diesel

Fuel Efficiency

14.7L/100km (combined)

5.9L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Performance
Luxury interior
Ride comfort

Beautiful to look at
Fantastic drivetrain
Properly luxurious

Dislikes

Price
Weight
Fuel economy

The cost
No Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
Not really a five seater for long trips

2024 Bentley Flying Spur Summary

In any other super car, it would seem deeply strange, wrong even, to loll (and LOL) in the back seats while a colleague blasts you around a race track at insane speeds, and not just because cars with V12 engines making 575kW and 1000Nm don’t normally have more than two seats.

The Bentley Flying Spur Speed is, of course, no ordinary car, it is a super sedan, a luxe limousine crossed with a rocket ship, and if Sir wants to get to the rooftop helipad in a spectacular hurry, then these are the back seats to be sitting in.

We flew to Japan, and the spectacular setting of the Magarigawa Club, a members-only race track carved out of the rolling hills outside Tokyo at a rumoured cost of $US2 billion, to try the back seats, and the driver’s seat, of the new and very impressive Flying Spur Speed.

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2018 Jaguar XF Summary

If a Jaguar owner fell through a wormhole from 2003, the company they bought their car from would be almost unrecognisable. Back then, it was a bewildering mess making an odd assortment of cars, yet to emerge into the light after Ford's confused and debilitating period of ownership.

Why 2003? Fifteen years is a nice round number and pre-dates the arrival of the brand-saving XF.

Today, Jaguar has three SUVs, and the gorgeous F-Type, the XE, its second-generation XF and the big XJ. It has three SUVs (the F-Pace, E-Pace and I-Pace) because without them Jaguar would be a niche manufacturer before long, because big sedans, formerly the brand's trademark, are continuing their gentle decline. Oddly enough, one of the market segments contracting even faster than sedans is wagons.

So what better time to launch into a draining pool from the three-metre board than now? Jaguar has bravely taken that risk and brought us the puzzlingly named XF Sportbrake.

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Deep dive comparison

2024 Bentley Flying Spur 2018 Jaguar XF

Verdict

The Bentley Flying Spur Speed is a whole lot of car, for a whole lot of money. Sure, I’d rather have a Ferrari or a Porsche with similar power (and the Panamera shares the same V8 and hybrid set up), but then if you’re in the market for a Bentley like this you already have a garage full of other options. And I can see why you’d add one of these to your collection. Because you can.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Verdict

With that iron fist wrapped in a velvet glove wrapped in bubble wrap engine, excellent ride and gorgeous looks, the XF Sportbrake ticks all the boxes. Apart from the entry price and options prices, there are few objective reasons not to buy the car. It's just as good as any of its German competition and arguably the prettiest of the lot.

Should Jaguar have taken the dive? Given the XF Sportbrake is a luxury wagon done right, yes.

Bentley Flying Spur vs Jaguar XF What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Bentley Flying Spur vs Jaguar XF
What's the difference?