Road Test: Bentley Continental GT Speed

The new Bentley Continental GT Speed has lost nothing of its charm. 

Beluga. The name of the leather upholstery evokes a world in which a Bentley transports its driver. The luxury brand is rolling out variants of its core product, the Continental GT Speed. The Speed brings a sportier edge which echoes the competitive heritage of the British manufacturer. Its predecessor had impressed us, we were therefore eager for an opportunity to drive the new version.

The styling of the new Continental GT (on the left) is all about continuity, with subtle changes that preserve the unmistakable identity of the luxury coupe. The outer headlight units have slightly shrunk and migrated outward, thus stretching the profile towards the fenders whose crest-line now veers off toward the hood instead of plunging down. In the center of the bonnet, the fold is now more pronounced, the contour of the air intakes more dramatic, more aggressive. At the rear, the lights still echo the elliptical theme of the exhaust outlets, but the boot profile is more affirmed. Overall dimensions have not changed significantly in length; however the 4.80m coupe  gains two centimeters in width and height. There is unfortunately not much change in weight: we measured this car at 2379kg with a full tank of gas – with a 57.3% front 42.7% rear weight balance, just 13kg less than the previous model.

Interior design is also in direct continuity with the previous car, the most noticeable change coming courtesy of a new 8 inch touch screen in the center of the dashboard. It is a significant improvement over the previous unit, all expected functions are available, but the graphical user interface and the available functions are falling short of being state-of-the-art. The rest of the interior is true to Bentley’s high standards, a cocoon of silk smooth leather, deep carpets and discrete chrome accents. Assembly fit and finish are perfect, a visual, tactile and olfactory feast. The carbon and piano black decor would not be my first choice, but it is coherent with the spirit of this more athletic version. Fortunately, there are numerous alternatives in the options catalogue. Overall, the Continental GT Speed is divinely comfortable, luxurious but not ostentatious, simply classy.

In spite of the generous dimensions of the GT, space allotted to the rear passengers is tight for an adult of my height (182cm), both in terms of legroom and headroom. The Bentley is far more hospitable than any 2+2 GT on the market. Nevertheless, whisking a couple of friends down to Monte Carlo for a week-end could be an ambitious undertaking unless the gentlemen reserve the rear seats for their better halves, and said spouses are not framed like norvegian beach-volleyball champions. The 358 liters luggage compartment makes up in depth what it lacks in height.

In comparison with the Continental GT W12 6.0, the Speed version gains 50hp in peak power to achieve 625hp, while peak torque leaps by 100 Nm to a very respectable 800 Nm (590 lbft) from 2000 rpm. The previous Continental GT Speed claimed 610hp and 750 Nm. As a reminder, the W12 is built on two six cylinder banks angled at 72 degrees, each bank being itself a narrow angle V6 with 15 degrees between piston axes.

The engine is a familiar item, but the new 8 ratio ZF gearbox is a notable change over the prior generation. Lower gears are performance oriented while the three upper ratios focus on long distance comfort and fuel efficiency, the 8th gear allows a relaxed 150 km/h cruise at 2000 rpm in monastic silence, barely disturbed by air whispering against the windscreen. In mellow driving, the ZF unit is extremely well sorted, juggling swiftly through gears to maintain engine revolutions as low as possible, but prompt to downshift on request. In these conditions, the Continental GT delivers the expected effortlessness, serene and agile, swift but not rushed. The shorted paddles mounted high on the steering column – a Bentley signature – allow intervention at any moment. Automatic mode resumes after a few seconds.

One slot further on the gear selector, the S mode is a stark contrast. The gearbox drops immediately two ratios and maintains much higher revs, almost to the point of a caricature and hardly suited to the engine ample torque curve. S mode also forbids access to the 8th ratio and alters the management of the exhaust system. A thunderous, enchanting note, well calibrated to be an integral part of the driving experience but not intrusive. The sportier setting adds a marbled rumble at throttle lift off. This system is incredibly well judged, I could not conceive a Bentley Continental GT with less exhaust presence, but more would be over the top.

As a consequence, I gave very limited attention to the optional Naim sound system (a 9045 CHF option). Listening to an interpretation of “Thus spoke Zarathustra” found on the hard drive highlighted more of the recording flaws than the prowess of the HiFi system. Another alternative to savor the W12’s symphonic abilities is to swing the gear lever – crowned with a sublime knurled knob – to the right of the D position: manual mode applies the same trickery to the exhaust valves, but leaves gear changes entirely to the driver.

The gearbox then upshifts with far more urge than the 600-800 milliseconds claimed on the spec sheet, but not without some harshness. The torque converter locks pretty abruptly on wide open throttle shifts, feeling reminiscent of older automated manuals, but not on par with the best contemporary twin clutch transmissions, such as Porsche’s or Ferrari’s. Admittedly, very few of them would be capable of coping with the massive torque of the W12, but they still are today’s benchmark. Hard to say whether this surprising harshness was induced in order to give a mechanical feel to the Speed, or whether it is an adverse consequence of requesting fast shifts from the ZF gearbox. Rev matching on downshifts is well tuned and at no time during this road test was I inconvenienced by a spurious or denied gear change.

The delivery of the twin turbo 6.0 liter W12 is in line with expectations: herculean ! It propels two and half tons of finely crafted automobile and privileged driver with massive strength. The urge is physically perceivable, pace formidable. The vast reserves of torque on tap provide the coupe with sovereign performance, the cavernous murmur morphing into a soundtrack quite distinct from that of strict V12 engines, but no less entertaining. As soon as the turbochargers blow fresh air in the lungs of the engine, performance is staggering. There is surprisingly not much to expect below 2000 rpm when the gearbox is locked on an upper ratio – sixth and above, the tall gearing making for a somewhat lazy response for such a muscular engine.

Another side effect of turbocharging is throttle overrun. The response to a right foot lift is perceivably delayed, to the point at which it can impede very fast driving. The W12 keeps pulling while the braking phase has already started for a few tenths of seconds, giving the impression that the Contintenal GT is one move behind the driver. If you dial pace slightly down to keep the powertrain in lockstep, then the car starts to flow. The W12 also displays a solid appetite for super unleaded: we recorded 19.04 L/100km (12.4 US mpg) for 17.7 displayed on the trip computer.

The chassis also invites the same decomposition, the sequence between lift off, braking, turn in, apex and power out must go through neatly staged phases to allow the Continental GT to settle. The same is true for S curves, precision and care are required in handling the transition between turns. If these boundaries are overstepped, the Speed will appear heavy and cumbersome. One notch down, it becomes fluid and rewarding. A sporty driving experience which conjugates pace and driver enjoyment as long as inputs are properly timed. The laws of physics applicable to such a mass carried at high speeds do apply, but within this dynamic envelope, I find overall performance impressive. The all-wheel-drive system’s 40:60 torque split (variable from 15:85 to 65:35) ensures faultless traction and the peace of mind that comes with it. It also contributes to driver excitement. Powering out of corners, the joint transfer of mass and torque to the rear wheels induces a rear wheel drive stance that stops short of oversteer, but tightens nicely the line. With due consideration to the list price of the car, I did not disconnect stability control. Its interventions on engine management are perceivable (audible actually), but there is fortunately no abrupt torque cut off, just a torque limitation to prevent things from getting too frisky for road use.

Damping is adjustable between 4 positions through a button on the console and the touchscreen interface. The most supple position seems to be the default setting whenever the ignition is turned on. The contrast between the softest and hardest setting is perceivable, but not radical. In soft mode, the Continental GT Speed filters seams and bumps very effectively in spite of the thin 21 inch series 35 rubber, but stops well short of being vague. At the other extreme, body movements are more contained, but the ride never becomes harsh. More Bentley than Speed in this regard.

The braking system on our test car came courtesy of the optional (17’185 CHF) carbon ceramic system. In normal driving conditions, brake pedal response is sharp, mixing the bite of the massive discs with generous assistance. There is a contained but noticeable dive, but stability and balance are superb. In hard breaking from high speed, I felt pedal feel becoming more glassy, as if the system was losing some of its bite. Diving further into the matter, it seems that the ABS system has to intervene while maximum deceleration is being extracted from the Dunlop Wintersport 3D tires, agonizing under such formidable forces. The sensation is a bit unsettling at first, but would probably be considerably reduced with proper summer sports tires.

The dynamic envelope of the Continental GT Speed is therefore in line with expectations: compromised by weight and a drivetrain optimized for comfort over sport. Driving the Continental GT Speed is coherent with its purpose and its spirit. The timeless elegance of its lines, the luxurious interior, the impressive straight-line performance plus a genuine ability to turn a fast drive into a thoroughly enjoyable experience; all converge to make this an achingly desirable car.

From this perspective, it is hard not to succumb to its charms. The Bentley experience is subtle and delightful. It  demonstrates that automobiles are sometimes more than the sum of their abilities or shortcomings. Judging by the excellent sales volumes in this segment, this complex chemistry is ravishing to a demanding customership. I regret a little that I did not find in the new Continental GT Speed a more profound evolution in comparison with its predecessor, but I celebrate the fact that it is a better car in every possible way.

Test vehicle configuration

Facing competition

We would like to thank Bentley Motors Ltd and Bentley Geneva for the loan of this Continental GT Speed.

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