Launched: Bentley Continental GT Speed – 650HP W12 GT, From RM1.135 Million*

Think the sporty V8-engined Continental GT S we detailed last month isn’t grand enough? Well, fret not as Bentley Kuala Lumpur has announced the availability of the Continental GT Speed for local prospects.

This is the most powerful and fastest iteration of the Flying-B marque’s staple grand tourer, and it will also perhaps be last of its kind – more on this in a bit.

The vehicle showcased to local press this week came dressed in Cambrian Grey  paint and sported the tasty Blackline specification that trades chrome brightworks for blacked-out ones instead. The latter explains the darker touches primed in the front grille, tailpipes, as well as the head- and taillight surrounds.

Other key bits present include gloss-finished carbon fibre side sills, front splitter, rear diffuser, and rear lip spoiler. Adding to this GT’s sporty stance further are the Speed-specific 22-inch alloy wheels finished in black and tastefully contrasted by red-painted brake calipers.

On board, it’s the usual Bentley marque’s affair featuring rich use of high-end materials that can be customised to one’s desire. In the display car presented today, the cabin is lined with two-tone leather upholstery plus diamond-quilted door and seat inserts featuring red contrast pipe-stitching, followed by a rich use of glossy piano black veneer trims.

As for tech, the Continental GT Speed can be laced with the Touring Specification as how the display car showcased does. This package adds a bevy of driver assists that includes Adaptive Cruise Control, Bentley Safeguard Plus, Head-up Display, Lane Assist, Night Vision, as well as Traffic Assist.

Other tech present on board include Bentley’s signature novel rotating 12.3-inch digital infotainment display in the centre console, digital instrument panel, power-adjustable seats, as well as a high-end 2,200-watt Naim 18-speaker audio suite.

Now we move over to arguably this Conti GT’s centrepiece, by which we mean its powertrain. In Speed form, the Conti GT is motivated by Bentley’s signature 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12 powerplant that’s been fettled to a higher state of tune, outputting a whopping 650 HP and 900 NM of twist.

Said outputs drive all four wheels via a ZF-sourced 8-speed automatic and all-wheel-drive (AWD) suite, allowing this GT with a claimed kerb heft of 2,273 KG to despatch 0-100 KM/H in just 3.6 seconds before maxing out at 335 KM/H.

Not only quick, the Continental GT Speed also promises heightened agility thanks to clever adaptive suspension plus the addition of all-wheel-steering. Adding to which too are active anti-roll bars front and aft on top of aluminium double wishbone (front) and multi-link (rear) suspension assemblies.

Given Bentley’s plan to phase out their signature W12 powerplant by 2024, this is perhaps the last chance for local prospects to commission their very own Continental GT Speed. Naturally, something this special and bespoke won’t come as a bargain, thus explaining its RM1,135,000 base price tag – sans duties, taxes, options, and on-road costs.

Are you digging the fastest and most powerful iteration of arguably the defining grand tourer from Crewe? Hit the comments below with your thoughts…