2008 Bentley Continental Flying Spur Black Luxury Sedan on 2040-cars

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Bentley Continental GT Speed gets a little more juice

The latest version of the Bentley Continental GT Speed packs 633 horsepower, up ever so slightly from the 626 hp in the outgoing version launched in 2014, the 616-hp model that arrived in 2012, and the 602 hp offered in the first iteration from 2007. It also leaves the previous, 621-hp Supersports model in its wake, and further separates the flagship twelve-cylinder version from the lighter but less potent V8 model. Along with the relatively negligible 7-horsepower increase, the crew from Crewe also raised the torque figure by 15 pound-feet to a total of 619. As a result, Bentley says the latest flagship Conti will hit 60 in 3.9 seconds, down from the 4.0 flat the previous version was quoted at. No word on the top speed changing, but at 206 miles per hour, it didn't need much improvement in the first place. The Flying B marque has also launched a new Black Edition of the same model that offers a whole array of visual enhancements inside and out. As you might have guessed, it consists mostly of black trim, but also some contrasting aero components and leather trim. That's all well and fine, but we doubt most occupants would be paying much attention once all that power is deployed. Related Video: BENTLEY LAUNCHES NEW GT SPEED AND STRIKING BLACK EDITION - Continental GT Speed increases power and torque - Bold new Black Edition joins GT family - New and unique styling cues handcrafted to perfection at Bentley's Crewe factory (Crewe, 4 April 2016) Bentley unveils today the revised Continental GT Speed, raising the bar even further in terms of exclusivity and performance. The fastest production Bentley ever, with a top speed of 206 mph (331 km/h), now delivers even more power and torque, and a striking new Black Edition model joins the Speed family. Engineers at Bentley in Crewe have developed even more muscle from the Continental's iconic 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 engine. The GT Speed now produces 642 PS - up from 635 PS - and 20 Nm of extra torque, bringing its total to a forceful 840 Nm. This additional torque is applied through the entire rev range via careful reoptimisation of boost control, raising the Grand Tourer's renowned "torque plateau" of continuous maximum torque delivery from 2,000-5,000 rpm, and bringing even greater acceleration performance. As a result, the 0-60 mph sprint time has dropped to just 3.9 seconds (0-100 km/h in 4.1 secs).

Bentley plotting Mulsanne performance model for Paris debut

Between three distinct body styles and numerous engine specifications, Bentley has made more versions of the Continental over the years than we would care to count. But one thing it has, by and (very) large left alone is the Mulsanne. Sure, it's done some special editions and some extra equipment packages - it's even toyed with the idea of a two-door convertible version - but at the end of the day, the Mulsanne soldiers on as a four-door sedan with one engine and one engine alone. That may be about to change, however.
Fueled by ambiguous pronouncements from Bentley's returning chief Wolfgang Dürheimer, rumors from the UK suggest that the Flying B marque is preparing a more performance-focused version of the Mulsanne to debut at the Paris Motor Show this October.
Details are few and far between, but we'd expect the Mulsanne's long-serving 6.75-liter V8 engine to be further tuned beyond its current specification of 505 horsepower and 752 pound-feet of torque, accompanied by a stiffer suspension, bigger brakes and other upgrades. Historically Bentley would turbocharge the Mulsanne's predecessors (to turn the 90s-era Brooklands, for instance, into the Turbo R), but the Mulsanne's engine is already spooled up, so the British automaker will likely have to massage the extra muscle out another way.

Bentley designing SUV to reach 200 mph?

The 200 MPH Club was once populated entirely by exotic sports cars. These days it has expanded to include convertibles, sedans and even station wagons. But an SUV? Unthinkable, what with their aerodynamic profile approaching that of a barn door. Bentley, however, is out to change that with its forthcoming new sport ute.
Not only is the British automaker aiming to make its first SUV fully capable off road, it's also engineering it to be one of the fastest on the road as well. According to emerging reports coming in from the UK, Bentley is streamlining the SUV's shape with a lower roofline and reprofiled rear end and fitting it with advanced underbody aerodynamic aids in order to compensate for its over-six-foot width and get it up to the magic 200-mph mark.
Reaching out to Bentley for comment, its communications office wouldn't divulge such performance targets: "The SUV is in the engineering development stage, so unfortunately it's too soon to discuss performance figures," we were told via email. "It will of course have all the power and performance that one would expect from a Bentley!" If the information proves correct, however, at that speed, it would be able to keep pace with the faster members of the Continental family, but leave the Mulsanne flagship sedan (which is already approaching the size of an SUV) and its 185-mph top speed in the dust - not to mention the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S that is quoted at "only" 175 mph.