New Bentley Continental GT Speed breaks 200mph

Three times the speed limit’s just not enough for some. These tortured souls are left to seek purely numeric goals from their car’s speedometer and 200mph is a lofty target to achieve in a street car – particularly if you wish to attain such speeds in style. Bentley’s exclusive Continental GT maxed out at a tantalizing, but for some ultimately disappointing, 198mph, and now the company has atoned for their sins with the creation of the new Continental GT Speed. Fifty extra horsepower bring it up to 600bhp, making it the most powerful production car Bentley has ever built and nosing its top speed up to 202mph. The GT Speed retains all the luxury and decadence of its predecessor, while adding a harder performance edge.

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, whether or not they’ll ever get a chance to use it on the public road.

The exterior style of the new Continental GT and GT Speed models is defined by a wider, lower air intake and more upright radiator grille that also provide increased airflow to the more powerful GT Speed. Its 600bhp (610PS) W12 engine develops 15 percent more torque and nine percent more power than the standard Continental GT, while engine efficiency is optimized by the use of lower friction, lighter-weight components and a new engine management system. The resultant performance is exceptional, with a top speed of 202mph (326km/h), a zero to 60mph sprint time of just 4.3 seconds (0-100km/h in 4.5s) and effortless overtaking capability.

Complementing the Continental GT Speed’s high performance is its unique chassis tune that delivers tauter handling and improved agility, with new, wider 9.5J 20-inch wheels and bespoke performance tyres as standard fitment. Fade-resistant carbon ceramic brakes are available as an option.

Both the GT Speed and the 552bhp (560PS) Continental GT benefit from internal efficiency improvements to deliver reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The Continental GT remains outstandingly quick – its top speed is unchanged at 198mph (318km/h), with a 0-60mph sprint time of 4.6 seconds (0-100km/h in 4.8s).

“The Continental GT is a highly successful, modern-day Bentley icon,” said Bentley Chairman and Chief Executive Dr Franz Josef-Paefgen, “The new GT Speed, with its harder-edged character and sportier driving experience, builds on this success.”