Bentley Continental GT Speed: driving test and video
Posted on 28-10-2013 at 16:00 by Wouter – 55 Comments”
The name Speed promises something. And yes, the Conti GT Speed is fast. The Continental GT V8, however, that is also. The key question is thus: what does the Speed more?
[ First look, then read? Watch the video HERE! ]
1. That name
Brilliant yet. It is immediately clear where the highlight of the Continental GT series is good: he goes down hard. Really, really hard. Imagine you want as a diplomat during the night from Amsterdam to Brussels. The signs with maximum speeds than pure indications what speeds other road users about to hold, it’s just as safe to know. In a politically correct, limited German cake topper do you do about the journey more than 48 minutes. In the Continental GT Speed is reduced to just 36 minutes. Tel from your winnings.
2. The top speed
The Continental Speed is the fastest Bentley road ever. With enough gas in the tank, space on the road, and sufficiently large “balls” of the driver gets the Speed to 330 km/h. That is the territory of supercars and while this is a vierzits coupe, which is also very comfortable can around picking. Especially is this combination that makes the Continental GT Speed is so unique.
3. The other appearance
With the color of the testauto is in my eyes not quite good, but the Speed is a tad rougher than the “normal” Continentals. A buddy of larger wheels with ten double spokes and 275/35 ZR 21 tyres give the Speed a thicker appearance. The dark tinted front grille and air intakes (on a light car, there more likely to pop out) are a reference to Bentley’s in the 20’s of the last century, the successes celebrated at Le Mans. Also the rear looks just a little different with the specific tailpipes and thin chrome frame of the rear lights.
4. The other interior
Inside shows the Speed also just a little different, although just about any interior eventually fully to the customer is compiled. Thus adorned “old-fashioned” wood on the dashboard of our Speed and we had the beautiful aluminum miss. The aluminium is brushed in a pattern of half circles known under the name of engine spin. Also, that is a reference to the Le Mans history: the dashboard of the Bentley Speed Six ‘Old Number One’ which is two times the 24-uursrace of Le Mans won, was carried out with aluminium in the same pattern.
The Mulliner Driving Specification comes as standard on the Continental GT Speed, and that means that the seats and side panels of the doors are finished with a diamond pattern of stitched leather.
5. The statistics of the W12
The figures are of course impressive. The 12 cylinders in W-shape to have a total volume of six liters and as if that wasn’t enough, there are also two turbo’s. The resulting power is 625 horsepower, 50 more than the regular W12 and 118 hp more than the V8. That is a difference that is difficult to way wave.
The maximum torque is 800 Nm and the torque curve is completely flat from 2000 to 5000 revolutions per minute. To claim that the W12 strength, is what the British is an understatement. The W12 pulls and drags on the 2320 kg weight Continental GT like it is nothing. In 4.2 seconds from a standstill than 100 on the clock, in exactly nine seconds, the counter is at 160 km/h.
6. The sound of the W12
There is a small list of engines by sound, the experience and the kick they can give out a bit above other potent engines. The V12 TDI from the Q7, the V8 from the Corvette ZR1 and the V8 from the C63 AMG are typical examples. Also the W12 from the Continental can be found in this illustrious list scissors.
Click the gear lever is in D Drive and the sound is still reasonably civilized. The pretstand is yet one click further to the rear, there is the Sport mode. Then open the gates to heaven itself, which are internally at Bentley known as the valves in the exhaust system. Small children, pets, and people with a weak constitution you may be nervous, but for the rest of us can enjoy. With mild loads it seems like the sound on a V6 (not very illogical considering the design), but as soon as the rpm and/ or load rises, the sound is very distinctive. The W12 sounds as if all the air from the environment being sucked in. At the back spews out the Continental GT, the exhaust gases back to the outside, in my rich fantasy sounds the W12 as a dragon that slowly mad starts to be. Impressive, powerful, intimidating, and ultimately must be treated with caution.
7. The ride
The previous generation Conti GT had a power distribution of 50-50 between front and rear wheels, the current will send more power to the rear wheels and has a distribution of 40-60. The suspension is what stiffer, just like the buses of the chassis. The stabilizer bars are thicker and the car is 10mm closer to the tarmac.
It makes the Continental GT is still not a playful car for shorter turning. Despite the four-wheel drive, you can still not very early on the gas. Do you do it, then slide the Conti is not on the front wheels away, but it feels more as though the Speed if a topfuel dragracer the front axle lifted up and to the outside of the bend it. The Continental is better in place on the motorway or rolling with long curves splendidly dressed interurban. To play space is required, a frozen IJsselmeer seems to me to be quite in the direction.
8. Price
Bentley describes the consumption of 14.5 litres per 100 km) and CO2 emissions (338 g/km) as well as “favourable values”. And Saddam Hussein was a “relatively friendly” dictator. The Speed lust just have a sip. Thanks to the CO2-emission is the Speed of a euro-ton more expensive than the V8, and the total damage for Penny account at nearly 3 tons. Rationally speaking, the Speed of the price difference, of course, not worth it, but a rational buyer was not in a coupe with more power than you need daily, a price tag which you place a half district for the purchase and running costs that go with fit. Worldwide is half that of the Continental GT to sell, then also a Speed, but in the Netherlands appear, in percentage terms, more V8 and license plate number. Movie!
Gallery: Bentley Contimental GT Speed
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