Wednesday, 4 May 2016

2015 Bentley Continental GT Speed Coupe / Convertible ( 2015 bentley continental gt speed )

 2015 bentley continental gt speed
First power review

We’ve in no way genuinely understood why Bentley offers the fastest versions of its Continental extended family “speed” branding. It’s now not as if any of the lesser models are exactly poor in terms of turning in pace. Even the “entry-degree” V-8, the one you lend to the pool boy on his day off, can crack 60 mph in less than 4.5 seconds. And as the performance profits made for the 2015 speed over its toweringly fast predecessor are so modest, “slightly more speed” might be a extra suitable title.

Permit’s start with what’s modified; this gained’t take long. Bentley’s lengthy-serving 6.Zero-liter dual-turbo W-12 has emerged from yet every other rubdown on the dyno test bench with its output boosted to 626 horsepower and 607 lb-ft (will increase of 10 horses and 17 lb-ft over the preceding pace). Collectively with a few revised gearbox software program, the dyno paintings has cut some tenths of a 2d from the coupe’s 0-to-60-mph time (which we estimate will drop to 3.9 seconds) and introduced 1 mph to its top pace. At 206 mph, terminal pace is enough to satisfy the marketing department’s willpower that this had to be Bentley’s fastest-ever road automobile. (The GT pace convertible—which gets the same revised engine—can manage most effective a fairly torpid 203 mph.)

different changes are beauty. The rate’s front splitter, side sills, and rear diffuser at the moment are finished in frame color, at the same time as the 21-inch wheels and the top- and taillamps all advantage what’s described as a darkish tint. The brake calipers at the moment are pink, too. Inside, the cabin gets a few precise shade accents to assist differentiate it from lesser fashions. And, possibly most importantly, there at the moment are speed badges at the front fenders to say your top-dog reputation over any proprietors of extra plebeian Continentals you can come across.  Still, the W-12 engine is probably the oldest-feeling part of the automobile, with a moderate-but-significant reaction postpone that’s probable as an awful lot about the engine’s internal elements amassing momentum as it's far old style rapid lag. But as soon as it’s on tune, it’s an almighty aspect, with a torque curve akin to a topographical map of Iowa. It pulls cleanly from nicely underneath 2000 rpm all of the manner to the 6200-rpm fuel cutoff. The 8-speed autobox works properly whilst left to its personal devices, however the sport mode is simply too needlessly aggressive given the engine’s torque, and the manual override suffers from both poorly located steerage-wheel paddles and an inability to system requests for a couple of downshifts on the same time. And the soundtrack isn’t the most inspiring either—a huge, offbeat bass-heavy roar that gets louder with revs but no greater melodic (not like the warbling V-eight). That said it’s tough to be too crucial of a vehicle that makes going so rapid so clean.

Nearly too clean. Most of our checking out took place in Scotland, wherein the police—for all their relentlessly desirable manners—have little tolerance for extra velocity. Fortunately, Bentley changed into mindful of this fact and made available to us a former airbase with a 1.7-mile taxiway for high-pace runs. Right here the velocity hit an indicated 180 mph while slightly breaking a sweat. Gasoline financial system is extra contentious. Despite the fact that the fee of refilling the 24-gallon tank is not likely to faze too many pace consumers, the inconvenience of having to do so after approximately 300 miles at traveling velocities is probably to be a more inflammation.  Yet for all its overall performance, the rate is in reality a grand tourer in preference to a sports vehicle. The aggregate of properly-damped air suspension and extra than 2-half of lots of scale down weight works pretty nicely over rougher roads, specifically with the dampers switched to the consolation putting. In corners, but, the sheer forces concerned in turning so much steel, glass, and leather-based are usually obvious, in particular with the significant weight of the W-12 engine carried over the front wheels. The velocity can deliver spectacular height g-loadings if you’re prepared to muscle it into quicker turns, however in case you try and bring an excessive amount of pace the auto feels very large and heavy. (It doesn’t get the torque vectoring that the coming near near GT3-R could have.) It’s far nobler to glide alongside on the comfy six-tenths pace that appears to be the auto’s natural speed.

We drove both coupe and convertible versions, and apart from the apparent difference that one we could bikini-clad debutantes sun themselves in the back of the wheel, there had been few dynamic differences. Over rougher road surfaces you may feel some scuttle shake through the convertible’s structure, particularly within the steerage column, however it’s mild sufficient that it probable wouldn’t unduly disturb a passenger’s text messaging.

Bentley is well versed with the dynamics of its end of the marketplace. Model year 2013 changed into the organisation’s first-rate ever for sales, and it now produces more 12-cylinder engines than some other car organisation inside the international. Certainly, senior executives promise us that Bentley will keep to make its W-12 for so long as shoppers need it. It’s honestly developing vintage gracefully.

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