Bentley Continental GTC Speed at Kingfisher
Adam Jeffrey | CNBC
The V-12 engine is dead. Long live the V-12.
Over the next few years, supercar companies such as Lamborghini, Bentley and Rolls-Royce have all announced that they will be phasing out their V-12 engines as they enter the era of hybrid and electric vehicles. Meanwhile, they launch 12-cylinder masterpieces as odes to the ultimate petrol power – and wealthy customers pick them up with a record clip.
In other words, at the top end of the car market, the 12-cylinder is dying and demand has never been stronger.
With the king of combustion nearing the end of its road, Bentley has launched the Continental GTC Speed. It is a “W-12” road burner, in which three rows of four cylinders are arranged in a sort of “W” configuration. Its raw power is matched only by its refined interior.
Bentley Continental GTC Speed at Kingfisher
Adam Jeffrey | CNBC
Despite a nearly $400,000 price tag, the GTC Speed quickly sells out. Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmar said there are “very few available” before Bentley rolls the last of its 12-cylinder engines off the line in April 2024.
“These models are already almost sold out,” Hallmark told CNBC. “It’s the end of a great era.”
So with the Continental GTC Speed, Bentley has decided to party like it’s 1999.
The model I drove had a price tag of $384,000. The color is called “Kingfisher,” a luminous, shimmering blue that, like its namesake bird, was born to fly. It was loaded with some of Bentley’s most popular options, including 22″ black-painted “Speed Wheels”, a touring package for added comfort, and generous amounts of carbon fiber.
Bentley Continental GTC Speed at Kingfisher
Adam Jeffrey | CNBC
Inside, the GTC Speed was dripping with luxury additions, from the contrasting stitching on the seats (with “Kingfisher” and “Beluga” colored threads) to the Bang and Olufsen sound system, precision diamond stitching and deep-pile front overmats. additional foot comfort.
My favorite option, also one of the most popular, is the ‘rotating display’, where part of the carbon fiber dashboard flips over as the car begins to reveal its digital display, a bit like the supercar version of the secret wall in a mansion library. It costs an extra $6,600 — but hey, if you spend $380,000 for a car, what’s an extra six grand? (About 70% of Bentley owners take it up.)
The best thing about the Continental GTC Speed is the driving. As befits a car with multiple personalities, the GTC Speed has three driving modes: comfort, custom, Bentley and Enhanced Sport. Driving in comfort mode is like floating on a cloud, even on potholed streets in New York and New Jersey. The Bentley mode offers a balance between comfort and sport.
CNBC’s Kelly Evans and Robert Frank in a Bentley
Scott Mlynn | CNBC
It’s easy to imagine comfort mode taking its well-to-do driver to the country clubs of Southern California and South Florida, two of Bentley’s largest markets. Four-wheel steering helps for those rare instances where you need to park the car yourself rather than having a valet do it for you.
However, switch to sport mode and the W-12 roars like a dragon awakened from its slumber. The suspension tightens up and the GTC goes to 0-60 in 3.6 seconds. It can reach a top speed of 208 mph.
Even with a curb weight of over 5,300 pounds, the Continental GTC Speed takes corners, stops and acceleration like a much more nimble supercar. The special windshield and aerodynamics allow driving from top to bottom, even at high speeds, without a hair out of place.
Sure, there are better pure sports cars and better luxury comfort rides. But arguably no car brings the two together – with the screaming swan song of a W-12 – like the Continental GTC Speed.