Global Debut for the Bentley GT Speed Convertible,
world’s fastest four-seat convertible
Detroit - Bentley has unveiled its new open-top
performance flagship, the Continental GT Speed Convertible, at the North
American International Auto Show, at the same time as the business
announces a 22 per cent global sales increase, with the Americas region
maintaining its position as Bentley’s number one market.
Commenting during the Bentley press conference at the
Detroit Auto Show, Dr.Wolfgang Schreiber, Chairman and Chief Executive,
said:
“The new Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible is a
truly breath-taking Grand Tourer, promising supercar performance and
high end luxury, with the added thrill of open top motoring. This
unveiling maintains our position as the largest producer of high luxury
cars in the world, with our market share continuing to grow."
“2012 has been an excellent year for Bentley, with a 22
per cent increase in global sales with 8,510 cars delivered to
customers. The US remains our number one market, seeing a 23 per cent
growth last year with deliveries of 2,315 cars. We expect the luxury
market in 2013 to be challenging but we will continue to operate a
sustainable business as we look to maintain double-digit growth.”
The new GT Speed Convertible combines the sensory
pleasures of roof-down luxury touring with the shattering performance of
a 625 PS (616 bhp) twin-turbocharged 6.0 litre W12, while delivering a
15 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency. The close-ratio eight-speed
transmission, uprated and lowered suspension and retuned steering
provide exhilarating acceleration and sharp, communicative handling
without detriment to the renowned ride comfort of Bentley’s Continental
convertible. Permanent all-wheel drive ensures optimum traction and
power delivery whatever the road conditions.
Taking its place at the pinnacle of the Bentley Continental range, the
new GT Speed Convertible has a top speed of 202 mph (325 km/h) and in
true Bentley style, no compromises have been made in craftsmanship,
luxury or refinement to deliver this unrivalled performance.
Subtle sporting design cues include exclusive 21-inch
alloy wheels, dark-tint grilles and ‘rifled’ exhaust tail pipes. Inside
its handcrafted cabin, the GT Speed Convertible features the Mulliner
Driving Specification as standard, blending contemporary luxury with a
distinctly sporting character.
Also on stand at Detroit is the Continental GT V8.
Powered by a new 4.0 litre, twin turbocharged V8, the Continental GT and
its GT Convertible stablemate achieve exceptional standards for
power-to-emissions in the high luxury sports car sector.
The new engine delivers maximum power of 507 PS (500 bhp
/ 373 Kw) at 6000 rev/min and an extraordinary peak torque of 660 Nm
(487 lb ft) which is available across virtually the entire rev range,
providing exhilarating performance and effortless power delivery in the
Bentley tradition. This translates into a 0-60 mph sprint time of 4.6
seconds for the GT coupe (0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds) and a top speed of
188 mph (303 km/h).
At the same time, the new V8 Continental models achieve
outstanding levels of fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions for
the luxury performance sector and are capable of travelling over 500
miles (800 km) on a single tank of fuel. The instantly recognisable
growl of the new 4.0 litre V8 engine sets it apart from its Bentley
siblings.
