Bentley Continental GT Speed / GT V8 S coupe lands at glacial Norwegian with luxury and speed

When we landed at the natural surroundings located at 2800 feet above sea level, with no city in sight for the next four hours, we were surprised when a flock of tourists started taking our photos. It is not our macho-man physic or the chiseled features that compelled them to do so, but the fleet of 2016 Bentley Continental GT coupes in candy hue that we arrived at the Norwegian mountaintop.   

No one competes with the power of horsepower when the audience is a car crazy international assembly and the Bentley’s flawless paintwork and the splendid Big B logo substantiated that. This attention was not completely unexpected, but the tourist bunch turning their back to the natural beauty of the snow clad mountains should be attributed to the pulling power of the Bentley. Our ride with the Bentley started in the western Norway glacial community, and it was a fitting location for introducing the Continental GT, whose updates have always been glacial with the latest.

 The Bentley has new bumpers in the front with revised mesh below which matched with a smaller surround of the radiator, and the more pronounced new fenders gave an assertive stance to the Bentley. However, more extraverted colors could have been at home, than the tradition color choice of Bentley palette. But Bentley has already promised that it will match with any color your want.   The rear of the Bentley gets the same treatment, and the complex decklid too has been reshaped offering a jutting profile. Both the V8 S and the GT Speed are given different rear-diffusers to keep things sorted out. For the 2016 model, new wheel options are offered that include five spoke 21-inch alloy wheels that we found in the GT-S that we tested.

A minor round of changes has been subjected to the interior, but the Bentley retains the same ideals of the Men’s clubroom ideals. New changes in the cabin include revised stitching pattern on the seats, new dials and graphics on the dash, LED lights, additional USB ports, and larger gearshift paddles, and they are all standard features. Apart from the leather surrounds with the dash of chrome, fiber and wood the layout overall is not changed.  You can get an optional steering wheel of the sports variety, and also Wi-Fi connectivity at the cost of $1330.

The one we chose to drive was a Continental GT Speed colored in dark and called the “Spectre.” Whether the name choice was deliberate is not confirmed but one thing we are sure about is that the torque remains the same at 607 lb-ft for the 6.0 Liter W-12 producing 626 horsepower. The torque is available completely at 2000 rpm. The all-wheel-drive is permanent, and it distributes power as required at 40/60 ratio to the front and rear. But as demand dictates it can be split 15/85 and 65/35. The result is the 4.0 seconds short dash for the 5100-pounds curb weight GT Speed. It also passes the100mph mark in 9.0 seconds while achieving a peak speed of 206mph.