Bentley unleashes new Continental GT Speed, its most dynamic model yet

The luxury manufacturer says its latest creation is capable of tearing up the tarmac like never before, but only in the most refined fashion

The new Bentley Continental GT Speed has arrived. All photos courtesy Bentley

Tearing up the tarmac in the most refined way.

Under the spotlight.

The new, darker grille.

The Bentley moniker on the running board.

Showing its tail.

Looking assertive from the front.

New padded headrests.

It's all distinctly posh on the inside.

The GT Speed is a supercar you won't have difficulty with in an urban environment - unlike some.

The Bentley badge.

The new Speed GT is inspired by vehicles from the 1920s, but that might not be obvious.

Neat air vents in the cabin.

New 22-inch wheels on the GT Speed.

It looks sedate now, but that won't last long when you get on the open road.

The newly designed dashboard.

The GT Speed is subtly different design-wise to its predecessor.

Speed by name, speed by nature.

The GT Speed is a sporty looker, for sure.

Alcantara stylings on the inside.

Plenty of power in that six-litre monster.

Bentley has just unleashed its new Continental GT Speed and the company is touting it as the most capable, performance-focused vehicle it has ever created.

This would definitely seem to be the case if the accompanying statistics are anything to go by. The new vehicle is powered by a six-litre W12 engine that will pump out 650 brake horsepower, which should be sufficient to get you to 100 kilometres per hour in 3.5 seconds from a standing start. And, foot to the floor, the Speed GT will touch 335kph.

Proper supercar performance, then, but from a vehicle that, in human form, would be decked out in a dinner jacket or ball gown. Looks-wise, the car is not, by any means, a radical departure from its most recent incarnation, but the differences come in the details, Bentley assures us. It's a speedy beast, but with no compromise to comfort or luxury.

On the outside, there is a new darker front grille and some upgraded side skirts to make the car look sportier. The inside is decked out in leather and wood, with metal trims, so you don’t feel like you’re in a horse-drawn cart.

There are plenty of add-ons available, of course – if you're feeling really flash, you can even get jewel-encrusted fuel and oil-filter caps, which, let's face it, isn't an option on your average charabanc.

The new GT Speed, like its forebears, has been designed, developed and handcrafted in the company’s factory in the northern English city of Crewe. The model is now in its third generation, following a line that began in 2007.

The cars were apparently inspired by the three-litre Speed models of the 1920s, though you’d be hard-pushed to find many similarities. However, the latest model continues the bloodline by representing a “combination of luxury and performance in a Grand Touring package”, Bentley says.

No word on price or arrival dates yet, but estimates suggest you may have to pay in the region of $210,000 for a base model.