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MOTORING Bentley Continental GT Speed
Craftsmanship and engineering
The quality and craftsmanship comes as a
given with all Bentleys’. What makes this one
special is a 12 cylinder twin turbo charged
engine capable of pushing three tons of metal
to a heady 206 mph. Peak power of 635 PS
rockets it to 60 mph in just 4 seconds. Yet
Bentley’s engineering team has ensured that
the GT Speed engine and powertrain is just
as fuel-efficient as the standard Continental
GT. The latest engine management system,
an eight-speed transmission, and the tuning
up of the turbocharger settings must be
given credit for that, A revised Electronic
Stability Programme calibration allows safe
exploration of the limits whilst the sports
chassis, tuned, and lowered suspension
promises supercar ride and handling.
So this is quite a machine. A rocketship in
highly civilised designer clothing. You buy
astonishing performance combined with
exemplary quality, and of course the privilege
of driving in regal serenity every day should
you choose. And that is what many Bentley
owners do ‘because they can’ not only in
financial terms, but because this Bentley’s
value partly rests in its day to day usability.
Put the stonking performance aside, and
the pleasure lies in just going anywhere in
this car, for even on a quick trip to the local
THE BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT SPEED
We road test the most powerful Bentley money can buy!
The best way to examine a Bentley you’re thinking of buying is to
take a trip to the showroom. Reason being, that’s when they look
their best, and it gives you opportunity to explore the ‘wow’ factor of
a Bentley. That will be a combination of exceptional quality combined
with subtle opulence. Without even driving a mile we could fill the
pages of this magazine with stories of the care and respect for
craftsmanship that go to making this, the fastest most powerful
production car Bentley has ever made.
shops some part of your passive brain will be
admiring and enjoying different aspects of the
quality that surrounds you.
Did you know that someone in Bentley
has a record and a reserve sample of the
very tree used for the wood carving of your
interior trim? Or that the cows who supply
your leather are kept in fields with special
protective fencing so as not to tarnish their
skins? That’s how unique you are as the
owner of a Bentley – your hand stitched seats
alone taking about two and a half days of a
skilled and practised hand. If you appreciate
fine things, quality and true craftsmanship,
you will enjoy every single day that you drive
your Bentley.
‘Speed’ for keen drivers
If you are a committed driver, the type where
nothing but the best will do, you won’t
be able to resist the lure of the Speed Six.
You see, the technology is mated to four
wheel drive, keeping those three tons and
endless specification under control in either
extreme weather or extreme driving. The
sheer capability of twelve cylinders, two
turbos and NM of torque calls for the biggest
front ceramic disk brakes mated to any
production road car in the world. They are a
recommended £10,405 option, because they
are so good and can last for the life of the car.
It hardly needs saying that the Speed Six
is exceptionally quick. Unless you’ve already
sampled it in anger its’ speed and capability
surpasses your imagination – it’s ‘pin-you-
to-your-seat acceleration’ followed by ‘say
goodbye to your intestines’ braking’, plus
a very busy G force metre on the bends.
It’s a big car to chuck around B roads with
attitude too, suggesting more backing-off
to opposing traffic than you would with a
car of smaller dimensions, but the straight-
line acceleration and braking is enough to
impress – all of the time! The Bentley’s natural
speed (mainly courtesy of the torque) can be
witnessed from how much it cuts down the
natural time of a long journey, even if you
are sticking rigidly to speed limits – it picks
up so readily and maintains such efficient
flow that you’re journey time seems far less.
In our case it knocked a full 15 minutes
off our regular commute from London to
Eastbourne. Whilst front passengers are
spoiled, rear passengers will have to sacrifice
legroom, but its still a credible full four-seater
nonetheless.
There is no competition, and by that I don’t
mean there are no alternatives – it’s just that
none of them are Bentleys, and that alone is
enough for most.