Bentley gets serious about speed

People who own less then 4 houses, 2 businesses and a parking space for a large yacht in Monaco need not read this article as you are unlikely to fit Bentley's core demographic. Overnight Bentley has announced the revival of ‘Speed’, a name that has been dormant in Crewe headquarters in England since the early 1920’s. Enter the 2008 Continental GT Speed, a meaner version of the Continental GT runaway success story.

“The Continental GT Speed is the most powerful production Bentley ever and the first to top 200mph (322km/h). A potent addition to the company's highly successful Continental series, the GT Speed extends the appeal of the Continental GT coupe to driving enthusiasts who place a high value on outright performance and agile handling.”

That’s right people, 322km/h, more than enough to see you flipping the bird to most autobahn users on your way to the office. Powered by a re-engineered 600hp (449KW) version of the existing 6.0 W12 twin-turbo mill driving all four wheels through a ZF 6 speed auto, the performance is prodigious for a car that weighs nearly 2.5 tonnes!

Can’t see any differences from the now ‘normal’ Continental GT? Subtlety was the key when designing this highly desirable machine, a slightly lower stance and more aggressive front bar are the tell tale things to look for. Is this a sign of things to come from arguably one of the most luxurious car manufacturers on the planet? Let’s hope so.

Darcy