The magnificent Bentley Continental GT Speed coupe may cost R5 million, but it’s the sheer embodiment of “an iron fist in a velvet glove”.
We like: Craftsmanship, rocketship performance, exclusivity, comfort
We don’t like: Restricted rear space, slightly behind in terms of advanced cabin tech
FAST FACTS
- Model: Bentley Continental GT Speed
- Price: R5 045 000 (before options)
- Engine: 6.0-litre W12 turbopetrol
- Power/Torque: 485 kW/900 Nm
- Transmission: dual-clutch automatic
- Fuel consumption: 13.7 L/100 km (claimed)
- Luggage capacity: 358 litres
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Detailed Bentley Continental GT Speed specifications
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Where does the 2022 Bentley Continental GT Speed fit in?
The Continental GT Speed seems an anachronism in an increasingly electrified motoring world, but its buyer won’t care.
As the world rushes ever faster to an all-electric future, automotive behemoths such as the 6.0-litre W12-engined Bentley Continental GT Speed are likely to become a) harder to sell and b) even more cherished by petrolhead enthusiasts. As before, the Continental GT is positioned as one of the world’s ultimate grand tourers – one that combines cosseting luxury and stonking (but refined) performance in a usable package that positively drips with desirability.
To lessen production-line complexity (and conform with buyers’ demand), the “regular” Continental GT W12 is no longer offered, so this more performance-oriented Speed is the only derivative (of course, you can still have a convertible – if you prefer to experience 485 kW and 900 Nm al fresco – and there are a variety of trim packages available).
Compared with the previous-generation “Speed”, however, this newcomer is actually lighter, has bigger wheels and brakes, boasts more advanced chassis technology and is, as a consequence, only fractionally slower than the previous-generation “Supersports” derivative.
Rivals? Well, at just over R5 million for a base-specification car, you’re into the heady world of McLarens, Aston Martins and Rolls-Royces, but those brands don’t disclose base pricing in the South African market, so we’ve stuck with two offerings that offer similar performance and GT capability, the BMW M8 Competition Coupe and Porsche 911 Turbo S. However, part of the appeal of a Bentley Continental GT Speed is that it bears a very evocative badge, which those two German rivals simply cannot match.
How the 2022 Bentley Continental GT Speed fares in terms of…
Design and Packaging
A distinctive and classy physique, which you’d expect from a Bentley, but with the road presence to match.
We think it’s fair to assume that when you buy a car such as a Bentley Continental GT, you’d like it to be noticed. We can definitely confirm that the Speed turns heads and has substantial kerb- and road presence. It’s a low, wide and muscular-looking machine, replete with exquisite detailing. We love the “12” emblems integrated into the flanks, the crystal-effect headlights and even the paintwork, which has a real sparkle to it. The bodywork appears to be tautly stretched over the supersized wheels, which are pieces of art themselves. At the rear, the oval taillamps’ design is echoed by the shape of the exhaust outlets, and a thin LED braking strip light is mounted at the top of the rear screen.
Slip inside and there’s no doubting the Crewe-made machine’s “clubby” upmarket ambience. This particular test car features predominantly black trim, beautifully contrasted with a red secondary hide, plus plenty of piano black and chrome accents. More traditional options (and an array of wood trims) are, of course, available, but we particularly liked the gloss carbon-fibre finish of this car. Also fitted was optional mood lighting, which can be adjusted to various colours and which gives the cabin a truly spectacular ambience at night.
Other highlights include the chromed organ stops for the ventilation outlets (a Bentley tradition), lovely quilted leather on the doors and a rotating display – the latter endows the Speed’s cabin an almost James Bond-esque flavour when it deploys. Essentially, you can have your usual navigation/touchscreen infotainment setup or, at the press of a button, the entire system rotates to reveal a line-up of three analogue gauges, which is far more stylish and befits a car of this nature. It is optional, however.
The seats are superb – their cushioning is undoubtedly on the soft side, but offers enough firmness in the bolsters to keep you in place when the Bentley’s cornering quickly. This particular test unit also featured front comfort-seat specification and therefore, in addition to ventilation and heating, could perform a number of different types of massage.
We know South Africans love a sunroof, so some of you might be disappointed to hear that the Continental GT Speed doesn’t have one. Well, not one that can open, anyway. It has (as an option) a panoramic glass roof with a sliding screen, but that’s it. If you want the wind in your hair, then opt for the convertible variant.
As for the rear accommodation, we were expecting a little more space. After all, this is supposed to be a grand tourer, but the rear seat is really only for kids or smaller adults (and short trips only). We think it’s far more likely that the Speed’s rear seats will be used for extra storage. That said, the boot is of a decent size; its claimed capacity is 358 litres.
Performance and Efficiency
With 900 Nm of torque on tap, sufficient acceleration is always at hand.
Underneath that long and broad bonnet of the Continental GT Speed is the marque’s trademark twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre W12, which is mated with an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that drives all four wheels. In Speed trim, the engine develops an almighty 485 kW (from 5 000 to 6 000 rpm) and a crunching 900 Nm of torque from 1 500 to 5 000 rpm, so suffice to say the performance is explosive, although it’s delivered in an undramatic (almost serene) manner.
Fire up the big motor and the transmission pre-selects “Bentley” mode – a middle-ground setting between Comfort and Sport that suits the car well. It’s worth noting that, even when shifting manually in Sport mode, the transmission will shift up by itself when the revs reach the red line, so if a truly engaging drive is what you’re after, you have to concentrate.
It’s also not a car that likes its accelerator to be mashed. Given the coupe’s lofty peak outputs, you may anticipate an immediate response when you put “pedal to the metal”, but there is a lag while all that torque gets apportioned. Once the Bentley hooks up, however, acceleration is akin to being teleported to the horizon while squished into a lounge chair.
No, to get the best responsiveness out of this drivetrain, you have to be somewhat delicate with your throttle inputs… Ensure you’ve selected the right gear and then lean on the long pedal… Bentley claims a 0-100-kph time of 3.6 sec, which is pretty rapid for a vehicle that weighs around 2.3 tonnes, and a 335-kph top speed. Serious numbers indeed, but the most impressive aspect of the Speed’s performance is its overtaking punch at cruising speed – that’s what makes it such a wonderfully impressive cross-continent crusher.
Efficiency? Honestly, does it even matter? For the record, Bentley claims an average fuel consumption figure of 13.5 L/100 km. Pah, in their dreams.
Comfort and Features
There’s a multitude of buttons in the cabin (more than in most modern cars), which is why the centre console looks cluttered.
Given its lofty asking price, the Speed is a feature-loaded vehicle even at base specification (as one would expect), but we doubt that you would ever find such a thing as a “poverty-spec” Continental GT. Once you start shopping at this price level, part of the allure is to configure your machine to your heart’s content, after all.
So, let’s just discuss some of the highlights. As mentioned before, the seats are fantastic and can be specified with a massaging function which, in our view, is one of the best we’ve experienced. Also on offer is a “Naim for Bentley” audio system, which features speakers placed strategically to make it feel like the music is coming through the chairs! It certainly provides an “immersive” experience.
In terms of infotainment features, we’d rate the Continental GT Speed as (gasp!) okay. It features digital instrumentation, but there’s a distinct lack of design flair and adjustability. Sure, you can have the navigation or night-vision displayed in front of you, but there are far more affordable cars that offer more “entertaining” instrumentation displays/options.
The 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system is comprehensive and similar to the one used in the Porsche Panamera (also part of the Volkswagen Group) and there are enough physical buttons for those drivers who don’t like pressing on a screen. This, however, can be somewhat of a chore, because the menu system is not as intuitive as it could be.
Ride and Handling
Bentley has used a few tricks to make its grand tourer handle better.
In terms of dynamic ability, the Continental GT Speed has a particularly tricky selection of boxes that it needs to tick. On the one hand, it needs to deliver a crushingly comfortable and refined ride – it is, after all, a “grand tourer”. On the other hand, it is also a “Speed”, which means the Bentley needs to be reasonably sharp and engaging (enough) to pilot when its driver is in the mood to have fun. And it must do all that while managing the physics that come part and parcel with being a bit of a Heffalump (by sportscar standards).
The Speed is underpinned by Bentley’s three-chamber, adaptive damping air suspension system. It also sports the British marque’s Dynamic Ride 48V active roll bars, as well as a four-wheel-steering system that’s similar to what is utilised in the Flying Spur, but with different tuning. Rear-wheel steering virtually reduces the car’s wheelbase and tightens the turning circle at lower speeds, but at higher speeds, it works to move the “pivot point” closer to the centre of the car, which, of course, makes the Speed feel more manoeuvrable.
Also part of the exceedingly high-tech dynamics package is torque vectoring – the four-wheel-drive system can shift as much as 70% of the torque to the rear axle, but the ratio can change continuously through a corner to actively manage the dynamic response of the car. In theory, all of this exists in an effort to provide the driver with greater responsiveness.
The reality? Well, let’s deal with the car’s general ride quality first. Many times in the past, cars with a combination of massive (22-inch) wheels and air suspension have been, um, lumped with hobbled ride qualities. The Continental, by contrast, impressively irons out smaller imperfections – it’s as if they’re not there – and absorbs bigger bumps with aplomb.
Even when the less-than-petite Speed is tasked with delivering, shall we say, ungentlemanly performance, it delivers a level of road-holding that simply beggars belief. Impressively, it also resists understeer very well for such a hefty, all-wheel-drive machine, but it never really feels “rear-biased” as the reading material might lead you to expect.
Given the kind of car the Bentley is, neutral handling is about as good as it’s going to get when you’re cornering hard – you’d have to be driving at a ridiculously high speed to get the coupe unstuck. Perhaps predictably, the steering doesn’t offer much feel. Driving enthusiasts would appreciate a weightier twirl – it feels a bit too generic for such a special car.
Price and After-sales Support
The base price for a Continental GT Speed Coupe in South Africa is R5 045 000 (May 2022), but the options list is long and enticing. Bentley includes a 3-year/unlimited km warranty and a 3-year/100 000 km maintenance plan. Services are scheduled once every 12 months/15 000 km.
Verdict
A Bentleys is an item of desire, not something to compare to rivals spec-for-spec.
An evaluation of a car such as the Continental GT Speed based on consumer-journalism criteria would miss the point of Bentley’s W12-engined coupe entirely. For the money, there are cars that are faster, more technologically advanced, more spacious and, subjectively speaking, prettier. Ultimately, the Bentley Continental GT Speed is its own yardstick; rationality does not apply to this product; it’s a car that you instinctively want, rather than need. And if you’re in a position to act on that desire, you’re very fortunate indeed!
