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2022 Bentley Continental GT Speed debuts with more power, big handling improvements

Fast news is coming out of the UK today in the form of a new Bentley Continental GT Speed. Similar to the previous generations of the Continental GT, this latest version is getting the Speed treatment. Bentley may be talking endlessly about its green future, but until that materializes, the British marque is continuing to pump out W12 master classes of luxury and speed. The idea is the same as all “Speed” versions of recent Bentleys. Add power, increase handling abilities, and make it look faster. Power from the 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 increases to 650 horsepower (24 extra ponies), while torque remains constant at 664 pound-feet. The extra power comes from increasing the manifold pressure in the upper rev range, meaning the extra power is all the top. This results in a 0.1-second reduction in the 0-60 mph time, which is now down to 3.5 seconds. Top speed is a lofty 208 mph, which is a 1 mph increase from the non-Speed. See, itÂ’s speedier! While the power gains are admittedly small, the other performance improvements Bentley made look like theyÂ’ll be much more noticeable from behind the wheel. For one, the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission reportedly shifts twice as fast in Sport mode as it does in the regular W12 model. The engine and transmission calibration is also revised to make its upshifts higher in the rev band and downshift earlier. Bentley says the exhaust is much louder with greater “character” than the standard car, too. The chassis and drive system get significant updates for better handling. The car's big new party trick is four-wheel steering, which is becoming increasingly common for large luxury cars. As you might expect, the rear wheels turn opposite the fronts at low speeds for better agility, and the rears turn the same direction as the fronts at high speeds for better stability. This means the Continental GT Speed should feel more nimble and quick on its feet than lesser versions.  Additionally, Bentley says itÂ’s using a new all-wheel-drive torque split and traction control calibration “to provide a noticeable character shift” for the Speed. Basically, theyÂ’re loosening the reins a bit, which will ultimately result in the Speed feeling more tail-happy and eager to rotate in corners. Brake-based torque vectoring is implemented in the Speed for when you want to power through corners more efficiently, too.

W12 engine disappears for regular Bentley Continental GT in 2022

The non-Speed version of the Bentley Continental GT will not be available with a W12 engine in 2022. It'll be V8 only. CarBuzz noticed the change missing on Bentley's Continental Range page, and when the outlet put the question to the English automaker, the answer came back, "GT Speed and GT Speed Convertible are the only way to get a Continental with the W12 for 22MY." So ends a 13-year run of being able to choose how many horses and torques you wanted to pair with your leather and wood. We thought things were strange when Bentley priced the 2022 Continental GT Speed coupe $50,000 above the previous non-Speed Continental coupe with the W12. That's about double the premium the Speed has charged in the past despite making only 24 more horses than the non-Speed W12. Of course, that doesn't exist any more so such comparisons are academic.  At least the new Speed has received a handling makeover that includes a Bentley first: an electronic limited-slip differential. The new tools and their algorithms impart an enthusiastic liveliness at the stern end of the world's most flamboyantly capable heavyweight grand tourer. But the 2022 GT Speed can't do anything that the old standard W12 GT couldn't; the Speed is just more pliant and talkative about it. And now it exclusively has four more cylinders. The regular Continental range now includes four versions — GT V8 coupe and convertible, and GT V8 Mulliner coupe and convertible — with the Speed adding its own hardtop and droptop duo. Bentley execs have repeatedly said and hinted that they aren't finished with the W12, which got an all-new version to power the Bentayga in 2015; CEO Adrian Hallmark called it "effectively a new engine." The automaker's only got five years to spread it around, though, Bentley having said it will offer a hybrid version of all of its models by 2026, and also having said it doesn't want to add batteries to the W12 because the engine — and the car it powers — are already heavy. Our guess is that Bentley's looking up. There was a 2017 Continental GT Supersports with a W12 that made 700 hp and 750 lb-ft., which cost $60,000 more than the GT Speed. A new Supersports with those mammoth numbers (or more) and the newest Speed's dynamic tricks would make a might fine showcase. 

BMW makes the M4 extra special with a huge wing

BMW has all of the bases covered in its lineup, especially when it comes to its 4 Series models. Don't like going to the track? There's the BMW 430i and 440i, which are available as a coupe and gran coupe. Drivers looking for a track-friendly car that can also be used on the road will be steered toward the M4. BMW even built the hardcore M4 GTS for drivers that spend all of their time on a track. Now, it looks like BMW is trying to bridge the gap between the M4 and the M4 GTS with a special-edition model. Our photographers caught BMW testing an M4 with some extreme aerodynamic components around the Nurburgring. With its aggressive front end, massive wing, and sporty rear diffuser, the prototype M4 appears to be similar to the special-edition M4 Competition Sport that BMW released in Spain. The Spain-only special edition was marketed as a softer version of the M4 GTS with less power and usable rear seats. With a similar look and visible rear seats, this prototype indicates a similar track-focused special edition model. Since the M4 is only a few years old, it's unlikely that BMW is testing a new model, but the automaker could be testing aerodynamic components for a refreshed model down the road. A cheaper, more usable M4 GTS, though, would be the perfect car to round out BMW's current lineup. Related Video: