INTIMIDATING IS INEVITABLE
I honestly believe that anyone who loves driving must own a V8 once in their life as the sound, the torque, the effortless grunt are truly intoxicating. Add in twin turbos and it only gets better as the midrange becomes monumental with a top-end lunge to match. Imagine then, if you added in an electric motor to deliver seamless and even more effortless instant torque? You feel like riding the chariot of Zeus.
Such is the recipe of the Bentley Continental GT Speed’s powertrain. But as befits a most gentlemanly automobile of the highest pedigree, sideways antics are frowned upon. Thankfully, the winged B is blessed with the surety of all-wheel drive, the engine transferring its monumental 771 horsepower (782ps) and 1000 Newton-Meters of torque. It’s a hefty car but its power makes easy work of its 2,459-kg weight. By adding the heavy hybrid bits at the back, the Continental GT Speed is blessed with a near 50:50 weight distribution.
As we left the Bentley Singapore dealership at the Wearnes Automotive Complex, we trundled in fully electric mode to avoid noisy histrionics, and is an easier introduction to the stately Bentley. The power, the size and the price-tag (just under 2 million Singapore Dollars, or roughly P90 million of our money) are not for the faint of heart. Bentley advertises an 80-km all-electric range from its 25.9 kw/h battery, and an all-electric top speed of 140kmh, considerable and pretty much illegal not just in Singapore and the Philippines but all throughout ASEAN. Open all the taps, access the full available power and 0-100kph is dispatched in a scant 3.2 seconds, all the way to an eye-watering 335kph top speed in the right spec with the right tires.
But of course, the temptation of that V8 was too powerful to resist and as soon as the road cleared, I opened the taps completely and the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 roared into life as we speared down Commonwealth Avenue heading toward Queensway and out of the city, barely avoiding breaking the speed limit. The V8 powers up from electric much like the Ferrari 296 GTS’ V6: like a race car exiting the pits. But unlike the dainty Ferrari, the big bad Bentley fires up its V8 like an old World War 2 fighter with its deep, bassy idle followed by angry revs, and more angrier revs.
Inside, the opulence of the interior borders on decadence. Alcantara suede and rich leather covers almost every tactile surface, with the trademark diamond stitching and similar Opalite contrasting leather slashes and stitches to liven up the interior. The dash is in piano black material with an analog clock giving a nod to the old world charm of Britannia. Naim high-fidelity surround sound system is fitted with a heads-up display. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are included. The seats are or course heated and ventilated with a very good massage function.
It’s a big car so intimidating is inevitable – if you live in the swanky villages and residential areas of BGC, Makati or Greenhills and work near home it’s fine. Similarly, living down south and using mostly highways and expressways won’t be a problem. But I dread driving this into downtown Binondo or similar places.
Canyon carver this Bentley is not, but a bruiser of a continent crusher it is. Imagine doing a 1,000-km road trip very rapidly? Nothing is better suited and more capable than the Continental GT. Ride is plush in normal mode, but firms up nicely in dynamic / sport mode. You feel cosseted and cocooned, but offer enough feedback to let you feel involved without getting worn out. And you have useable cargo space, better ground clearance and a fully electric mode for when you want to arrive unnoticed.
The Bentley Continental GT Speed in special limited First Edition trim is a very complete car. It’s not hard core like your typical sports car, but has the pace to match, with far more versatility and comfort for real-world everyday use. And if you have a car such as this, you will want to use it every day.
