Bentley's Speed king?

The Bentley Continental GT is gaining speed! The British brand has beefed up its coupé range by adding a new performance flagship.

With 600bhp, the Speed develops 48bhp more than the normal GT, and is Bentley’s most powerful production car ever. It covers 0-60mph in only 4.3 seconds and goes on to reach a top speed of 202mph.

To cope with the extra performance, the Speed has uprated suspension and a revised ESP stability system. Wider 20-inch alloy wheels wear bespoke tyres, while buyers can specify carbon ceramic brakes.

The new model comes as the Continental GT range gets a mild revamp. Changes include a more upright grille and revised lower air intakes, although the Speed features dark-tinted mesh.

Larger tailpipes and Bentley’s Mulliner Driving Specification are standard on the Speed, along with a new multifunction steering wheel. Bentley has shaved 35kg off the weight of both cars by using lighter parts on the 6.0-litre W12 engine. The two variants return 17mpg and emit 396g/km of CO2. Prices for the standard GT have increased, however, from £117,500 to £120,500. The Speed model costs £137,500.

The refreshed Bentley coupé line-up goes on sale this week, with deliveries set to begin in December.