Bentley Flying Spur Steering, Braking & Stability

Eichhorn was making that his pet problem. "One of the tasks [we] had was to get a freer-feeling steering, less friction, more easily coming away from center to give better connection, better feedback," he says. "On this car--and we haven't found this before--it's too free. It's getting steered by bumps in the road."

Eichhorn added that steering revisions, achieved through revised valving in the system's hydraulics, will be introduced to the GT coupe as a running change.

As for stopping from V-max, Eichhorn knows there's no need for change. It was he who originally signed off the (identical) package for the Continental GT after personally performing 10 consecutive panic stops--from 190 mph.

There's certainly no sense of panic inside the cabin, where rear legroom is well into the long-wheelbase luxury league and handcrafted clubbiness abounds. It's sensible as well as sumptuous, with touches like aluminum scuff plates above the roof grab handles to protect the leather headlining. However, the rear bench's backrest (a four-seat interior with "through-console" also will be offered) was a bit too reclined and nonadjustable, though it does include a spooky, roller-wheel massage function.

The overall effect of the sedan's longer wheelbase, electronic recalibrations, and perhaps its extra weight seems to be an additional measure of unhurriedness. Where the Conti GT can feel tense and uptight, particularly after stepping out of an Arnage (think private jet versus Concord), the four-door, appropriately, brings more maturity and restraint. Y'know, in a 190-mph sort of way.