2014 Bentley Continental GT Speed

The New Continental GT Speed

A coupe called Speed.

The name says it all. And from your first glimpse of the fastest, most powerful two-door coupe that Bentley makes, you know it's the perfect description. With 21" wheels and lowered suspension, darkened grille and front bumper intakes glinting in the light, the Continental GT Speed makes no secret of its intent. If you love to drive far and fast, if the exhilaration of a 625PS, 800Nm engine and eight-speed close-ratio transmission makes your heart race, this is your car.

And yet this exceptional sports coupe, the newest, most powerful addition to the Continental stable still displays the refinement that makes a Bentley unique. Its all-wheel-drive transmission, biased 60:40 in favor of the rear, offers reassuring stability all year-round, come rain or shine. Its hand-crafted interior, which can be trimmed in a variety of materials from Burr Walnut to Dark Tint Aluminum, is supremely comfortable over long distances.

Bentley's new Continental GT Speed coupe is capable of fast lap times, but it's a real-world supercar, not a track special. Distinctive it may be, but it's also the latest in a long line of devastatingly fast, smooth and rewarding Bentley grand tourers.

Performance

616 bhp. Harnessed.

With peak power of 625PS, the new Continental GT Speed is the most powerful model in the current two-door Bentley Continental family. A full throttle standing start sees 60mph flash past in just 4.0 seconds. Top speed, should you have the opportunity to explore it, is 205 miles an hour.

Yet Bentley's engineering team has ensured that the new GT Speed W12 engine and powertrain is just as fuel-efficient as the new Continental GT. The latest engine management system, a new eight-speed transmission and careful refinement of the turbocharger settings have seen an overall improvement of 13% in fuel economy, with a commensurate increase in tank range.

A revised Electronic Stability Program calibration gives the driver free rein to explore the limits with safety, while the new chassis tune and lowered suspension accentuates the glued-to-the-road sensation during high-speed cornering.

Technology

The power to entertain.

The GT Speed's touch screen infotainment system both entertains and informs. At its heart is a 30GB hard drive, which offers up to 15GB of storage space for music as well as a continent's-worth of mapping data. For the new GT Speed, the infotainment system features Bentley's latest software upgrades, including refinements such as point of interest mapping, optional satellite landscape imagery, live traffic data and, where supported, digital radio.

As you drive, it provides real time monitoring of your tyre pressures, access to your phone contacts (either via Bluetooth or by inserting your SIM card) and the opportunity to zoom in or out of mapping at the touch of a finger. It is, in short, a system that's well up to all the latest advances for in-car technology.

While the 15 Gigabytes of available music space is enough to last you on a round-the-world tour without hearing the same track twice, you can also play music via an iPod, MP3 player, the car's own six-disc CD changer or even an SD card. Balanced Mode Radiator (BMR) speakers, which combine the functions of separate tweeter and mid-range speakers in one unit, direct the sound with accuracy and provide greater clarity across the audible spectrum.

Nothing compares with the sound of a Bentley engine in full cry, but the GT Speed's infotainment system provides plenty of alternatives.

Interior Design and Craftsmanship

Supercar performance. Grand tourer comfort.

The sumptuous Continental GT cabin is given a more sporting twist on the Speed model. A new engine spin option in Dark Tint Aluminium is available, unique to the Continental GT Speed, and available for the fascias, console and roof console. Alternatively you might choose the Carbon Fibre option for fascia; or fascia, roof console and centre console, its satin finish specially developed to reduce unwelcome reflections.

With these new options and a wide range of Bentley veneers to choose from - including Dark Fiddleback Eucalyptus, previously exclusive to V8 models - the sporting intent of your Continental GT Speed can find its true reflection in the cockpit. As a final confirmation of this car's performance focus, the Mulliner Driving Specification becomes standard.

As in every Bentley, the choice of interior colours is almost endless. Seventeen different hide colors are available, but you also have the choice of single or two-color hide upholstery with darker colors, recommended for surfaces such as the fascia top roll to prevent unwelcome reflections. Needless to say, the choice of carpet and seat belt colors is just as extensive.

So whether you want your seat belts to match the main hide or the secondary hide, whether your carpet overmats have contrast binding or single colour, your Continental GT Speed will be crafted to your specifications. For the Continental GT Speed, duo-tone seats are now available as a no-cost option.

And after you have made your choice of primary and secondary hide colors, there's the hand-stitching to consider. Choose contrast stitching, and thread of a contrasting color will be used for the stitching on the seats, doors, rear quarter panels, centre console and all armrests. You can, if you wish, also specify contrast stitching on the steering wheel. Or for the ultimate in hand-craftsmanship, you can choose hand cross-stitching on all four seats and outer armrests.

From steering wheel to gear-lever, seat and armrest, every soft-touch surface in the cockpit is covered with soft, flawless leather. No wonder no other car feels quite like a Bentley.

Exterior Design

Dark Star.

Few designs have achieved iconic status as swiftly or as unanimously as the Continental GT. Its superformed creases and wind-carved lines are sleek, strong and sensual; the large inner headlight, muscular powerline and matrix grille give fresh expression to the heritage of Bentley grand touring. But the new Continental GT Speed expresses a darker side to the marque's character. In contrast to the bright chrome grille of the W12-engined GT coupe, the matrix grille and air intakes of the Speed are in a dark-tint chrome finish. The 21" Speed alloy wheels are unique to this model, and are available in silver or an optional dark tint. Large, elliptical exhaust tailpipes feature a rifled interior, while the engine note that emerges from them is deeper and more emphatic.

Open the bonnet and the theme continues, with a black inlet manifold a visual clue to the new 625PS W12 Speed engine. Even the suspension, lowered by 10mm, adds to the impact. Each design feature, taken individually, is a subtle one, yet the overall effect is dramatic: lower, darker, more menacing. And the enamel winged 'B' that sits above the dark-tint matrix grille Black, of course.

Everyday Practicality

A Bentley doesn't wear out. It wears in.

This advanced technology that delivers such outstanding performance, traction, refinement and comfort will continue to do so for years to come.

Bentley's W12 is a remarkable engine, both for its performance and its architecture, delivering the refinement and power of a twelve-cylinder engine within the compact dimensions of a conventional V8. Its power driven through Bentley's new eight-speed transmission to all four wheels, the GT Speed's W12 offers a full spectrum of performance from whisper-quiet cruise to snarling full-throttle acceleration.

Remarkably it also delivers lower emissions and better fuel economy than its predecessor, matching the figures achieved by the 575PS Continental GT exactly. Through their pursuit of power, Bentley's engineers have created a remarkable engine in the GT Speed. Better still, they haven't compromised refinement or efficiency along the way.

The Continental GT Speed may be the fastest, most powerful Bentley in our range. It may be capable of 205 miles an hour. But you don't have to have the physical attributes of a racing driver to enjoy its performance. Those sculpted 'cobra' seats provide the right degree of support and softness; soft and yielding as you settle in, they're firm enough to keep you comfortable for hour after hour, especially if you choose ventilated seats with massage as one of your GT Speed options. The hand-trimmed steering wheel can be adjusted precisely to your reach and shoulder height; the paddle-shift falls easily to hand. And for longer journeys, you will find all the incidental details of switches, touchscreen, stowage and ergonomics make the GT Speed a true grand tourer: relaxing, comfortable and confidence-inspiring.

At Bentley Charlotte, we have a strong and committed sales staff with many years of experience satisfying our customers' needs. Feel free to browse our new inventory and pre-owned inventory online, request more information about new vehicles or used vehicles, set up a test drive or inquire about financing! We can help with all your auto needs. Visit us! We're located on 6800 E. Independence Blvd Charlotte, NC 28227.