Luxury Cars: The latest addition to the Bentley family, after the 2010 Azure T Convertible, is the Continental GTC Speed. The W12 engine received a boost of 40 hp, for a total 600 hp, providing a top speed of 200 mph (322 km/h) with the roof up and 195 mph (314 km/h) with the roof down. The sprint from 0-60 mph is achieved now in 4.5 seconds (100 km/h in 4.8 seconds) while the 100 mph barrier is broken in 10.6 seconds (160 km/h in 10.5 seconds). With a 6.0-liter engine don't expect the car to be fuel efficient. It's not. The Continental GTC Speed has an urban fuel consumption of 11.2 mpg (25.3 litres/100 km) while on the highway this elevates to 24.3 mpg (11.6 litres/100 km). 

The new Bentley Continental GTC Speed also comes with a lowered suspension (10 mm at the front and 15 mm at the rear), also with new springs and dampers as well as a new ESP system featuring a module dubbed Dynamic, with progressive intervention. The Sport Traction is also a new mode of the ESP system which improves the behavior of the vehicle on dangerous surfaces.

Of course, the most interesting part of the vehicle is the design! The Bentley Continental GTC styling includes a new front grille as well as a new bumper featuring larger air intakes, improving the cooling of the W12 6.0-liter engine. Also interesting, is the 20-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels. The interior comes with Mulliner Driving Specification (an option on the standard GTC), a re-designed steering wheel and the well-known high-quality quilted leather. Price of the vehicle: ?146,100.

Andrew Christian

4wheelsnews.com