- Bentley
returns to motorsport with Continental GT3 concept
- Continental
GT Speed, Bentley’s fastest-ever road car, makes Paris debut
- High-efficiency
Continental GTC V8 with Mulliner Driving Specification
- Luxury
flagship Mulsanne with driver-focus and business connectivity
- Best-selling
Continental Flying Spur also on display
At the Paris International Auto Salon, Bentley is unveiling
its Continental GT3 race car concept, signalling the Company’s intention to
return to motorsport towards the end of 2013. Bentley is also showcasing its
full product range at this year’s Salon. From the hand-crafted, high-luxury
Mulsanne saloon through to the 205 mph (330 km/h) Continental GT Speed
performance flagship, the models presented on the show stand clearly reflect
the unrivalled breadth of this world-famous brand.
Commenting on Bentley’s stand at the Paris Salon,
Dr.Wolfgang Schreiber, Chairman and Chief Executive, said:
“The Paris Salon is a particularly important date in
Bentley’s automotive calendar. Exactly ten years ago, the unveiling of the
Continental GT concept was a defining moment in Bentley’s history, marking the
beginning of the company’s product-led renaissance. Ten years on, the breadth
of our model range on display and our announcement to return to the racetrack
clearly reflects the progress Bentley has made during that time and the
strength of the brand today.”
Bentley returns to the racetrack
Currently being developed by a dedicated motorsport team at
Bentley’s headquarters in Crewe, the GT3 concept reaffirms Bentley’s philosophy
to develop racing cars from their road-going counterparts. Based on the new
Continental GT Speed, the fastest road-going Bentley ever, the GT3 concept
capitalises on the prodigious performance, outstanding high-speed stability and
renowned durability of Bentley’s iconic coupe, while tailoring its
specification for the racetrack. Featuring a rear-wheel drive chassis,
state-of-the-art motorsport hardware and a comprehensive aerodynamic package,
the GT3 is targeted to return to the motorsport arena towards the end of 2013.
New Bentley GT Speed coupe: the
fastest-ever Bentley road-car
Since the launch of the original GT Concept at the Paris
Salon in 2002, the W12-engined Continental range has gone from strength to
strength with over 50,000 sales worldwide, making Bentley’s factory in
Crewe, England, the largest producer of 12 cylinder engines in the world.
The W12 story continues to unfold and remains the ultimate expression of
Bentley’s engineering strength.
Making its debut at the Paris Show this year, the new 205
mph (330 km/h) W-12 engined Continental GT Speed is the fastest road car
Bentley has ever produced. As Bentley’s new performance flagship, the
Continental GT Speed coupe appeals to driving enthusiasts who place a high
value on outright performance and agile handling.
The GT Speed develops 616 bhp (625 PS / 460 kW) at 6000
rev/min with 800 Nm (590 lb.ft) of torque available from 2000 to 5000 rev/min
for instantly accessible high performance. Coupled with a new ZF eight-speed
close-ratio automatic transmission and state-of-the-art engine management
software, the GT Speed despatches the zero-to-sixty sprint in 4.0 seconds
(0-100 km/h in 4.2s), reaching 100 mph (160 km/h) from a standing start in just
9.0 seconds.
In-gear acceleration is equally breath-taking. The advanced
software of the close-ratio 8-speed transmission enables quick-shifting in
Sport and Tiptronic modes. The gearbox also features ‘block-downshifting’,
enabling combined downshifts for maximum acceleration. Typically, when cruising
in eighth gear, full acceleration is achieved by dropping straight down to
fourth.
While this puts the GT Speed at the very top end of
automotive performance, the new model retains the driving refinement, supreme
comfort, peerless craftsmanship and contemporary luxury associated with Bentley
cars.
New 8-speed automatic transmission for
all W12 GT and GTC
The 567 bhp (575 PS / 423 kW) W12 powertrain of the Continental
GT coupe and GTC convertible models also benefits from enhancements made to the
more powerful GT Speed. In addition to the new engine management system
and eight-speed transmission, all W12 engines now feature an energy
recuperation system. Together, these deliver a 12% improvement in fuel economy
and CO2 emissions across the GT W12 range and a 10% improvement
for the GTC W12.
Mulliner Styling Specification reaffirms the GT Speed’s potent road presence
Already acclaimed for its crisp, sculpted design, the GT
Speed display car is fitted with the Mulliner Styling Specification, a range of
Bentley-designed styling options which provides customers with the opportunity
to personalise their new GT or GT Speed.
The Mulliner Styling Specification’s Classic Pack features a unique front bumper splitter, strakes integrated into the front intake grilles, side extension blades and a rear diffuser, all made from high-gloss, black carbon-fibre. These are complemented by a range of individual design options, comprising black, carbon-fibre rear spoiler and door mirror cowls as well as distinctive, black-painted 21-inch ‘Elegant’ alloy wheels and dark mesh front wing vents with black carbon-fibre bezels.
The Mulliner Styling Specification’s Classic Pack features a unique front bumper splitter, strakes integrated into the front intake grilles, side extension blades and a rear diffuser, all made from high-gloss, black carbon-fibre. These are complemented by a range of individual design options, comprising black, carbon-fibre rear spoiler and door mirror cowls as well as distinctive, black-painted 21-inch ‘Elegant’ alloy wheels and dark mesh front wing vents with black carbon-fibre bezels.
V8 power for a distinctive sporting
soundtrack
Also making its Paris Salon debut is the Continental GTC V8.
Powered by a new 4.0 litre, twin turbocharged V8, the Continental GTC
convertible and its GT coupe stablemate achieve exceptional standards for
power-to-emissions in the high luxury sports car sector.
The new engine delivers maximum power of 500 bhp
(507 PS / 373 Kw) at 6000 rev/min and an extraordinary peak
torque of 660 Nm (487 lb ft) which is available across virtually
the entire rev range, providing exhilarating performance and effortless power
delivery in the Bentley tradition. This translates into a 0-60 mph sprint
time of 4.6 seconds for the GT coupe (0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds) and a top
speed of 188 mph (303 km/h).
At the same time, the new V8 Continental models achieve
outstanding levels of fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions for the
luxury performance sector and are capable of travelling over 500 miles
(800 km) on a single tank of fuel. The instantly recognisable growl of the
new 4.0 litre V8 engine sets it apart from its Bentley siblings.
Bentley Mulsanne: the pinnacle of
British luxury motoring
The Mulsanne is a pure example of the Grand Touring Bentley
combining coach-built elegance and hand crafted luxury with immense power and
sportiness that together offer the world’s most exclusive driving experience.
It is a luxury car that makes the joy of driving its central focus. In an era
of mass production, it stands at the pinnacle of British luxury motoring.
Mulsanne Mulliner Driving Specification
(MDS)
Bentley is showcasing a highly distinctive and sporting
interpretation of its flagship Mulsanne at the 2012 Paris salon this year. The
MDS blends a range of striking design features including unique 21-inch alloy
wheels, Bentley Flying ‘B’ wing vents and Diamond Quilted leather trimmed cabin
with driver-selectable, sports-tuned suspension and steering, underscoring the
performance credentials of Bentley’s 6.75 litre V8 ultra-luxury sports sedan.
Mulsanne - connectivity meets
craftsmanship
First showcased as a concept at the 2011 Frankfurt Show, the
Mulsanne Executive Interior is today being presented for the first time at the
Paris Salon. The car is offered in two Specifications, Theatre and iPad (the
latter displayed at the Salon) for state‑of‑the‑art multimedia connectivity on
the move.
The iPad Specification offers office level functionality and
connectivity. Two beautifully crafted, electrically-deployed veneered picnic
tables for rear passengers provide a soft hide writing surface, colour-matched
to the seats of the Mulsanne, and at the press of a button twin iPads with
wireless keyboards are revealed.
With the Mulsanne Theatre Specification, passengers in the
rear cabin can enjoy a wide range of entertainment – choosing between DVD
movies, television programmes, or music – which is offered via a 15.6-inch
centrally located HD LED screen or 8-inch screens fitted within the front seat
headrests. Business users can take full advantage of the powerful processing
capability and connectivity of the boot-mounted Apple Mac computer.
Continental Flying Spur: Bentley’s most successful four-door saloon
Continental Flying Spur: Bentley’s most successful four-door saloon
The 560 PS (552 bhp) Continental Flying Spur on display at
this year’s Paris Salon and the 200mph (322km/h) Flying Spur Speed are the most
successful four-door saloons in Bentley’s history. They have attracted a new
generation of luxury car buyers to the Bentley marque, playing a major role in
the company’s revitalisation.
The Flying Spur’s blend of craftsmanship, dynamic
performance, style and practicality appeals in equal measure to those who
demand an exciting driving experience and those seeking refinement and comfort.
These attributes have resulted in extraordinary sales success across the globe
not only in traditional markets like the USA, the Middle East and UK but
emerging luxury markets such as China and Russia.
Source: Bentley media
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