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With a top speed of 205 mph, the 2013 Bentley Continental Speed GT is officially the British automaker’s fastest production model of all time. Under the hood of this all-wheel-drive grand touring machine is a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W-12 engine that delivers 616 bhp and, wait for it, a mammoth 590 lb.-ft. of torque. Bentley estimates the GT Speed accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds.

If anything, that figure sounds a little pessimistic to us. It’s worth noting the Speed GT’s performance bragging rights come at the expense of the range-topping Continental Supersports coupe which, incidentally, has a 5-horsepower advantage. The 621-bhp Supersports currently tops out at 204 mph. The Speed GT also boasts improvements to the steering and suspension systems, has a lower ride height, and rides on 21-in. alloy wheels wrapped in a set of (275/35) Pirelli PZero tires.

Bentley has even improved overall fuel economy, thanks to the fitment of a new ZF 8-speed automatic transmission that delivers a 12-percent improvement in fuel efficiency. Then again, that gain is tempered by the fact that the current Continental averages only 12 mpg city/19 mpg highway. It’s better, but this Bentley remains many miles away from being labeled frugal.

The Continental lineup is rapidly expanding, and not only in terms of maximum-velocity models. A 500-bhp twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 is now available in the Continental GT coupe and GTC convertible. With a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.6 seconds and top speed of 186 mph, these V-8-powered Bentleys maintain all the performance you’d expect of the brand. And if you consider stopping for gasoline far too déclassé, well, this could be the supercar for you. According to Bentley, the new V-8-powered models can travel 500 miles on a tank of fuel.

They also return a 40-percent improvement in mileage and CO2 emissions – a much more notable gain than the one offered by the Speed’s new W-12 engine. While cruising down the highway, or during other light throttle applications, the V-8 cuts power to four cylinders. Sounds great, except the entire reason for buying a Bentley is to punch the gas pedal whenever possible and get slammed backwards into your leather-lined seat.

Pricing for the GT Speed will be announced closer to when deliveries of the car begin in October. Interestingly, the company is already taking orders, despite the car not having an official sticker price. For the more fiscally responsible (yet still filthy rich) amongst us, the V-8 GT coupe and V-8 GTC convertible start at $174,000 and $191,400 when sales begin in the late summer to early fall of this year.

Articles Source : roadandtrack