Bentley Unleashes Potent 600-HP Continental GT Speed

Bentley Unleashes Potent 600-HP Continental GT Speed

Saying that its customers have been begging for a "harder-edged model," Bentley on Wednesday took the wraps off its new 600-horsepower Continental GT Speed. It will be the most expensive variant in the Continental series with an anticipated price tag of around $195,000, including a $2,595 destination charge, Bentley spokesman David Reuter said. A formal pricing announcement is expected closer to the launch date.

The Continental GT Speed goes on sale worldwide in December, but Reuter said Bentley dealers started taking orders for the car today, August 1. When asked if the company expected there to be a waiting list for the Continental GT Speed, he said, "There very well will be. There has been one with every one [special-edition model] we've launched." Bentley expects to sell approximately 200-300 Continental GT Speeds in the U.S. in 2008.

The Continental GT Speed is described as the "most powerful Bentley production car ever." It is equipped with a W12 engine that delivers 9 percent more power than the standard Continental GT and 553 pound-feet of torque, 15 percent more than the standard model. It is the first Bentley to top 200 mph, the company said. It sprints from zero to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds. Bentley said CO2 emissions have been cut by 3.5 percent, with a "similar reduction in fuel consumption as a result of improved engine efficiency."

The exterior design of the new Continental GT and GT Speed models is characterized by a wider, lower air intake and a more upright radiator grille that provides increased airflow to the more powerful GT Speed. Chassis tuning results in "tauter handling and improved agility." The Continental GT Speed gets new, wider 9.5J 20-inch wheels and bespoke performance tires, as well as a lowered ride height. It also offers a new "dynamic mode" that allows increased wheel slip at higher speeds than the "sport traction" mode on the standard chassis, Bentley said.

The inspiration for the new model comes from the iconic "Speed" models that first made their debut in 1923.

Bentley expects the typical buyer of the Continental GT Speed to have a net worth of $3 million, not including real-estate holdings, and a personal fleet of three to five cars, Reuter said. It is a different crowd from the more upscale Bentley Arnage set, which has a net worth of around $30 million and a personal fleet of seven to 10 cars.