Welcome to Autoxchange - Exotic in the Capital: Bentley GT Speed

IS 600 horsepower
all that it's cracked up to be?

The GT Speed gives the
impression that there's
something out of a
locomotive under the
bonnet – the car just
pulls endlessly no
matter what your
current speed or what
gear you're in

The interiors, as you'd expect in a car worth more than most peoples' homes, is extravagant to say the least. Every possible surface, even in the boot, is covered in fine leather, plush carpet or polished chrome. The front seats are bathed in quilted leather and have the 'Winged B' of Bentley hand embroidered on the seat back. Even under the hood, you'll find an elaborately styled oil filler cap. In the cabin, the machined aluminum finish of the dashboard is especially nice, as are the chromed AC vents, although the analogue Breitling watch on the center console looks relatively ordinary in comparison.

Despite all of this, however, the surprising thing is that the interiors, other than the small touches, don't feel that far removed from other high end luxury cars. This is actually a testament to the huge strides made by the industry as a whole in regards to interior quality.

Leather, chrome and machined aluminium
make for an opulent cabin indeed

Housing 600 horsepower, this is the most powerful car that Bentley's ever made, and boy is it fast. Despite that, simply by virtue of the manner in which it delivers its brute force, at no point does it feel like too much power – if, in fact, there is such as thing as 'too much power.' With the GT Speed, there's absolutely no fuss at all, whether its accelerating at full throttle or braking at one hundred percent – it just does the job and doesn't make you feel as if it's doing anything out of the ordinary in the least.

Other than a momentary lag as you apply the accelerator, the response of the chassis, throttle and brakes is all right there – there's a certain immediacy that you don't expect in a car as big as this. Frankly, it doesn't feel it size at all, it feels light and maneuverable – perhaps even playful – you forget very quickly that you're driving a car that weighs almost two-and-a-half tonnes and costs almost as many crores. It's very flat while cornering and has a huge amount of grip, as you'd well imagine with four-wheel drive and massive rear tires that rival those of a road roller.

The GT Speed also has very good body control with minimal dive under heavy braking as the massive carbon ceramic discs bite before providing tremendous stopping power. The automatic transmission, with its steering mounted paddles, works well but the Volkswagen Group's DSG or dual clutch transmission would perhaps be a better option.

It's the magnificent W12 engine, however, that makes the biggest impression. It doesn't feel like anything you've ever experienced before. It gives the impression that there's something out of a locomotive under the bonnet – the car just pulls endlessly no matter what your current speed or what gear you're in. Also, it sounds great – not raw or visceral like a sports car, but very powerful in a refined sort of way – you know it's there and what it's capable of, yet it doesn't intrude and disturb your favorite rendition of 'God Save the Queen' on the CD player.


verdict	The Bentley Continental GT Speed is certainly a fantastic GT (Gran Turismo) car. It's like nothing that you've ever experienced before – you just get in and drive with no fuss at all. It defies the laws of physics without bothering its occupants in the least, which is what you'd expect of a Bentley. In keeping with its name, the speeds that this car can achieve, and the ease with which it does it, blurs the line between fiction and reality. The GT Speed, with its tremendous power, simply eliminates everything in its wake. It truly is a case of absolute power corrupting absolutely.

	enduring history

Bentley Motors was founded in the UK by W.O. (Walter Owen) Bentley in 1919. They enjoyed tremendous success in the early days of endurance racing with five victories at the legendary 24 hours of Le Mans between 1924 and 1930. Under VW ownership, Bentley claimed its sixth win in 2003.

The car pictured here is the famous four-and-a-half liter 'Blower Bentley' of the late Twenties with its massive supercharger right up front. Despite their early success and tremendous engineering talent, following the Great Depression, Bentley was bought by Rolls Royce in 1931, and then by current owners Volkswagen in 1998.

Text: Dhruv Behl
Images: Anamit Sen