From Car and Driver - 2007 & 2008 car reviews and automotive buying guide for 2007 & 2008 cars, trucks, SUVs, auto shows and road tests:
Looks a wee bittie different too. I think this is all a little pointless - but then who am I to say?How many times in your career as a Bentley salesperson have you found yourself in the embarrassing position of having nearly closed the sale on a Continental GT only to be rebuffed when the customer finds out it isn’t capable of 200 mph?
“What a pile! Only 198 mph!” he says, as he whirls on the heels of his Ermenegildo Zegna loafers and stalks through the solid mahogany dealership doors on his way to the Lamborghini store down the street.
Well, Bentley has rectified that situation by creating the 2008 Bentley Continental GT Speed, a special variant meant to recall Bentley Speed models of yore and one that has been engineered to achieve 203 mph.
More power spews from the Speed’s twin-turbo 12-cylinder engine than that of any other Bentley ever made, and its 602 horsepower at 6000 rpm represents an eye-meltingly large increase of 50 horsepower over the base Conti GT. You can credit increased airflow, a recalibrated ECU, lighter connecting rods, and decreased internal friction for the extra power, which Bentley claims will send the GT Speed to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds—quite a feat for a car that weighs nearly as much as a couple of houses.