Compared to the “normal”, less powerful GTC Convertible, the Speed has a twin-turbocharged W12 with 610 hp powerplant ready to tackle the wind resistance with the top up or down. On paper, the upgraded engine provides 9 percent more power than a regular GTC, while the maximum torque numbers sit 15 percent higher on the torque curve.
To give you guys an idea of just how much difference that power can make, just think about it this way: with the top up (read: MUCH less aerodynamic drag) the GTC Speed reaches 200 mph (322 km/h), while if you take the top down it only losses 5 mph (8 km/h) from its top speed. Kind of impressive for a vehicle that weighs 5478 pounds (2485 kg) without any passengers or luggage in it.
The engineers from Crewe didn't settle for engine mechanical enhancements only, since the suspension has been upgraded to provide better high-speed performance and on the options list we can find the largest production passenger car brakes in the world. And no, we are not hyperbolizing just for the sake of it, they're 420 mm (16.5 inches) wide!
The optical upgrade follows on the “Speed” induced theme with a few subtle performance emphasizers. The front sports a new radiator cover and lower intake grilles which are dark tinted, while the new 20-inch alloy wheels are equipped with Pirelli P-Zero ultra-high performance (UHP) tires as standard. At the rear we can find a new boot-mounted lip spoiler and wider siamese-rifled exhaust tail pipes.
Just like on the Continental GT, the “Speed” moniker is inspired by Bentley's legendary “Speed Models” from the 1920s, also called the “Bentley Boys” era. We believe Woolf Barnato would be proud...
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