Bentley Arnage Town Car on 2040-cars

Auto blog

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.

2015 Bentley Mulsanne Speed is totally torque-tastic

Eight hundred and eleven pound-feet of torque. Really, that's all you need to know about the 2015 Bentley Mulsanne Speed. It's the same ultra-luxurious cruiser that we've enjoyed for a few years now, but the crew in Crewe has upgraded its engine to create absolutely astonishing performance.
The storied 6.75-liter twin-turbo V8 has been massaged for the Mulsanne Speed to produce an equally impressive 530 horsepower (25 more than the standard model), but it's that 811 lb-ft of twist available from an ultra-low 1,750 rpm that makes this thing so worthy of its faster nomenclature. Hitting 60 miles per hour will take just 4.8 seconds (keep in mind, this thing weighs almost three tons), and the sedan will top out at 190 mph.
It's awesome, this Mulsanne. And we can't wait to twist some pavement when it launches this winter. Scroll down for more info in Bentley's press blast.

'Rich Kid of Instagram' victim of supercar arsonists

A 19-year-old in the UK is smarting after the possibility that his prolific social media use may be at the heart of four family-owned supercars going up in flames in barely a week. Aleem Iqbal has thousands of followers on Twitter and Instagram paying attention to his frequent posts about the high-priced cars he's driving. He's even been featured on the Tumblr page Rich Kids of Instagram. It appears that some people might not be so smitten with him, though.
According to his Twitter profile, Iqbal owns Platinum Executive Travel, a luxury car rental company in the England, and UK newspaper The Telegraph claims the company is also owned by Iqbal's father. On June 6, cameras caught three hooded men setting fire to a Lamborghini Aventador Roadster leased by the company for a wedding. A few days later, two Audi R8 Spyders and a Bentley Continental Flying Spur from Platinum also got the torch, and two men were caught on camera setting the blaze. Nobody was hurt in either of the attacks, and the Aventador appeared to be repairable with the fire causing most damage to the passenger seat and dashboard. Police are still investigating both of the crimes.
According to The Telegraph, Iqbal believes that the arsons could have stemmed from jealousy towards him and his family's business. Regardless, setting fire to a bunch of cars that are likely insured isn't a great way to show displeasure.