By Jim Hall
August 2007
For the 2008 model year only, Bentley will produce the Continental GT Speed, a sportier rendition of its popular luxury coupe and the most powerful car the company has ever produced.
While the displacement remains unchanged from the standard car’s 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W-12, a reworked engine-management system, new piston design and lighter connecting rods bump the Speed model’s power figures up to 600 bhp and 553 lb.-ft. of torque − 9- and 15-percent increases, respectively − over its sibling. Handling of the attractive all-wheel drive 2-door kicks it up a notch, thanks to improvements to the speed-sensitive steering, stiffer springs and shocks, a lowered ride height and sticky 20-in. Pirelli P Zero tires. All told, these comprehensive changes allow the GT Speed to zoom from 0-60 mph in only 4.3 seconds − three-tenths of a second quicker than its more mild-mannered brethren.
Visual changes include lower front air intakes, a dark-tint chrome grille, wider exhaust tips and a new multi-spoke wheel design. Pricing has yet to be announced but a good estimate would be $199,990. 