2022 Bentley Continental GT Speed
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A nameplate reserved for Bentley’s most sporting grand tourers, the Continental has existed in various forms since before World War II. Its current iteration is the result of VW group’s acquisition of Bentley, and appeared in 2004 as a completely clean sheet design centered around the spectacular twin-turbocharged W12 powerplant, although a V8 version was eventually introduced as well. It shared its platform with the Audi A8, which gave a front-biased weight distribution because the engine was far forward in the chassis. This lasted through the end of the car’s second generation in 2018, which made the announcement of a new underlying platform for the third generation big news. Using the MSB platform shared with the Porsche Panamera, the third generation Continental GT is considerably more athletic, weighing 200 pounds less than its predecessor. The engine was moved backwards and down in the chassis, giving a 3% improvement in weight distribution from 58% front to 55% front.
For 2022, a Speed variant of the Continental GT was added, a new top of the line model available exclusively with W12 engine, which added not only power ( for a total of 650 hp), but sharper handling. For the first time on a Continental GT, rear wheel steering was added, together with a limited slip differential and more rear-biased torque split. Active anti-roll bars powered by a 48V system ensure shocking agility for its size, while the W12 remains a testament to traditional motoring and serves as a fitting send off for what Bentley has announced will be their last non-electrified powertrain. 0-60 mph arrives in just 3.1 seconds, while 208 mph at the top end ensure the ability to consume continents in exactly the manner implied by the car’s name: Continental GT Speed.
This particular car is a one-owner Speed model which has covered fewer than 1,000 miles. Its original MSRP was $323,885.
