Among touring car enthusiasts, the V8-equipped Flying Spur has become known as a perfectly capable, and slightly more affordable, alternative to the W12 Flying Spur; owners who prefer to drive themselves seem to prefer it, in fact. For the 2021 model year, Bentley has made a few changes to the popular model variation. The car’s horsepower rating has been bumped up a little, and its curb weight has been trimmed as well.

For 2021, the very respectable horsepower rating of the V8 version has been increased to 542—from the outgoing version’s 521—and the torque rating has been boosted to 568 pound-feet, from the outgoing version’s 502. The engine is altogether more efficient, because the improvement in available power comes with an increase in fuel economy. Twin-scroll turbos help, along with the 50% cylinder deactivation that occurs when optimal power is not needed.

The formerly standard four-wheel steering and 48-volt electronically-adjustable anti-roll bars are now optional. But adaptive air suspension and braking torque vectoring come with the base sticker. And this new Flying Spur V8 can hit 60 in 4.0 seconds—not bad for a 5,300-pound touring car—on its way to a top speed of 198 MPH. And those numbers are perfectly adequate for most folks.

Pricing starts at $199K. For comparison, the W12 version is priced around $216K.