Bentley uncovers monster drop top
ENTLEY has released full details of its new open-top performance flagship, the Continental GT Speed Convertible, which it claims is the world’s fastest four-seat convertible.
Bentley’s signature twin-turbo 6-litre W12 has been tweaked to delivery an eye-watering 460kW and 800Nm, which is good enough to launch this 2 495kg luxury locomotive from 0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds – and on to 160km/h in 9.7 seconds, with a top speed of 325km/h.
According to the maker, a 15 percent improvement in fuel consumption means an average of 14.9 litres per 100km in the combined cycle, thanks to an engine management system that’s capable of performing 180 million individual calculations per second to deliver enhanced turbocharger control and torque management. A close-ratio,
Bquick-shifting eight-speed transmission handles drive duty and keeps revs at prime level for efficiency. However, with the gear selector in Sport mode the big Bentley transforms from cruise to missile with a sharper throttle response, higher revs through gears and the ability for the transmission to “block shift” (jump multiple gears on downshifts).
The aluminium double-wishbone front suspension and trapezoidal multi-link rear set-up gets revised air-suspension, riding 10mm lower than the ordinary Continental GT Convertible, with stiffer suspension bushes, uprated anti-roll bars and recalibrated Servotronic power steering.
The new Speed convertible has a unique matrix radiator grille and bumper air intakes in a dark-tint chrome finish, with special 21” alloy rims and large, elliptical ex- haust tailpipes with rifled inner surfaces.
As with its hard-top sibling, the winged badge is set on a black enamel background and there’s a special black inlet manifold under the bonnet. Despite the supercar performance, Bentley says additional spoilers are unnecessary – the gentle lip on the double-horseshoe bootlid generates all the downforce the GT Speed Convertible needs, even at 325km/h.
The four-seat interior is finished to top-drawer Mulliner Driving Specification, with distinctive diamond-quilted hide upholstery and a special dark-tinted aluminium “engine spin” finish, inspired by the dashboards of the Le Mans-winning Bentleys of the 1920s, matching the dark tint chromed radiator and bumper grilles.
The infotainment system features point of interest mapping, optional satellite landscape imagery and live traffic data.
There’s 15 gigabytes of music space on board, as well as the facility to play music via an iPod, MP3 player, a six-disc CD changer or an SD card.
The new GT Speed Convertible will debut at next week’s Detroit Motor Show, while Bentley South Africa is expecting first deliveries in the third quarter this year at about R3.8 million.