Bentley Unleashes 205-mph Touring Car

Bentley Motors Group's fastest production model ever hits the streets in October when the brand begins deliveries of the new Continental GT Speed. The car will be publicly unveiled next week at the U.K.'s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The 2+2 coupe is propelled by a modified version of Bentley's 6-liter, twin-turbocharged W-12 engine that makes 616 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. Power is delivered to an all-wheel-drive system with central Torsen differential through an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission.

Bentley says the car can jump from zero to 60 mph in 4 seconds and reach a top speed of 205 mph.

The GT Speed rides on 21-inch wheels and a lowered suspension that has been retuned for "harder edge" performance with tighter handling and sharper steering.

Bentley emphasizes that the Speed model does not sacrifice any of the interior refinements of the standards Continental GT W-12, a 5100-lb car that can achieve 60 mph from a standing start in 4.4 seconds. The company says the Speed variant is 12% more fuel efficient than the GT, which is rated at 14 mpg in the U.S. (17.1 mpg on the European test cycle).