650 hp from W12 engine
First eLSD for a Bentley ever
Bentley has just launched what it is calling its most dynamic road car ever. The Continental GT Speed gets a tweaked V12, massive torque, all of the luxury you can pack into one car, and rear-wheel steering along with a host of suspension changes made to make the car a dynamic barge, not just a comfortable one.
The 6.0L W12 gets 24 hp more than in the bog-standard GT W12 for a total of 650, with 664 lb-ft of torque unchanged but still a thoroughly impressive figure. It trims a tenth of the run to 60 mph, Bentley says, now 3.5 seconds, and top speed climbs slightly to 334 km/h. The gearbox can shift up to 100 percent more quickly depending on the mode, further sharpening performance.
It’s the bits under the chassis that are the most interesting including that rear-wheel steer system. Borrowed from the Flying Spur, but far more active, Bentley says, because it’s used to sharpen steering response and cut the turning circle instead of being focused primarily on highway wafting. To go with that, the 48V active air suspension with adaptive damping has been tweaked, along with the Dynamic Ride system and its active anti-roll bars. You can even pick carbon-ceramic brakes that trim around 33 kilos, though the standard 22’s will probably cancel out much of that.
The first time ever in a Bentley, the rear axle adds an electronic limited-slip differential that works with the active chassis controls, the automaker says, to improve on-throttle adjustability and traction in adverse conditions. The all-wheel drive system’s sport mode will also now send more power to the rear for slightly more tail-out handling. Switch off ESC, Bentley says, and it will “deliver effortless, progressive yaw angles,” Bentley code for “do mad skids.”
Detailing for the GT Speed includes dark tint for the chrome on the nose as well as wider side skirts and subtle Speed badging. The cabin gets duotone colour splits between hide and Alcantara with 15 main and 11 secondary hide colours available, while the centre console can be had in a dark tint engine-turned aluminium covering. Diamond in Diamond embroidered seats are also standard. The Bentley Continental GT Speed is now available to order.
