Even when the first Continental GT came out back in 2004 it was the fastest Bentley ever made. And the same story continued with every new generation that came out while within each of those there were always special models to push the performance limits even further. The only one of those models to continue through all three generations was the Continental GT Speed. The 2015 Continental GT speed was the post facelift second generation which among other things got a little more power and “Speed” than the ones made just a year prior. The 2015 Continental also got a noticeably more modern exterior and more toys on the inside. The exterior changes make it by far the best looking second generation GT, and the performance upgrades made it the fastest one at the same time. And given that the latest Continental GT prices are yet to come down, they make the 2015 Continental GT Speed the best value for money Continental out there. But before we dive into more details, check out the Continental GTs currently available here at Exotic Car Trader.
Since the early 2000s a trend of making slightly faster, slightly more focused versions of sports cars was just gaining traction. And like all major manufacturers, Bentley jumped in on the action with its Continental GT and named it Speed. The Continental GT Speed wasn’t stripped down nor did it have an uncomfortable ride. The Speed simply got more power and slightly revised suspension including a lower ride height. The difference between it and the standard Continental GT wasn’t drastic, but it was certainly enough to make it noticeably faster. The second generation GT Speed came out in 2013, two years after the second generation launched. Then, the 2015 Continental GT Speed got ten more horsepower, new bumpers, new wheels, and LED interior lighting just to name a few changes. The extra horsepower made the 2015 Speed slightly faster than the previous ones, and in 2017 the Supersports took the title of the fastest Bentley ever. Still, the name Speed is the one that survived and is still present with the third generation Continental which is just 1 mph slower than the Supersports.
The most major update on the inside of the 2015 Continental GT speed is the ambient lighting. The 2015 model is the first one to get modern RGB LEDs all around the cabin including the doors, the dashboard, foot wells, and the rear seats. At night, the ambient lighting takes the 2015 GT very close to the last generation and miles ahead of the ones that came before. The 2015 model year also got additional storage between the rear seats, a redesigned gauge cluster and redesigned seat stitching. For the Speed, there was an optional sports steering wheel with bigger, metal, shift pedals. The old Audi looking shifter bezel could now be finished in black which was a popular option on the GT Speed. On board Wi-Fi was also optional, and smartphone chargers were present in both front and back. All these changes make the 2015 Continental GT Speed much more convenient to live with today compared to the models that came out just a year earlier.
The 2015 Continental GT Speed got the most changes on the outside which isn’t normally the case with Bentley facelifts. Starting at the front, the new bumper looks nothing like the previous ones with a wide main radiator intake, and two additional ones on each side that now sit above the main intake. The bumper is also somewhat lower to the ground making for a much more face. The side profile also looks sportier thanks to a new side splitter protruding from under the car, reminiscent of true racing cars. The side profile also boasts a new, huge Bentley flying B wing vent, replacing the old W12 badge. The rear didn’t go untouched either with a lower bumper, a bigger diffuser and a continuation of those side splitters. Also, the dual oval exhausts now come from inside the bumper instead of under it. That alone is a major improvement as it makes the 2015 Continental look almost like a concept car. Not only do all of these changes improve the 2015 Continental GT Speed, but they make it easily distinguishable from older models.
As we already mentioned, the power increase of the 2015 Continental GT Speed isn’t that big over the standard GT which has 570 horsepower which was raised to 590 in 2015. But at 626 horsepower, the difference isn’t neglectable either. The extra power drops the 0-60 time from 4.3 seconds to four seconds flat and raises the top speed to 205 mph. The top speed alone is well worthy of a supercar and the acceleration isn’t far off either, at least when compared to supercars of its generation. The 2015 model also features an eight speed transmission in place of the old six speed which alone helped drop the 0-60 time by almost a second. The power still goes to all four wheels helping the Continental reach its top speed with little to no fuss and maintain in a safe manner. To help keep the Continental from taking off, the suspension sits ten millimeters lower and to stop its 5,115 lbs it gets carbon ceramic brakes squeezed by six piston calipers. Overall, the Continental GT Speed is a noticeably faster car than the standard GT and at least today, is well worth the extra money.
While the 2015 Continental GT Speed was over $40,000 more expensive than the standard W12, today they go for about the same. That’s largely thanks to the fact that the GT Speed wasn’t a limited production special edition so there are a good number of them driving around. Thanks to that, you can often find a 2015 Continental GT Speed for well under $100,000, with some even selling for around $70,000 with very low miles and in showroom condition. That’s quite a bargain considering this was the fastest Bentley ever just a decade ago.
Ultimately, the 2015 Continental GT Speed is arguably one of the most impressive cars ever made. Thanks to its drivetrain, it can reach 205 mph while still not being any more difficult to drive than a Honda Civic. That’s quite an achievement and in that regard, it’s even reminiscent of the Bugatti Veyron. Moreover, the prices are ridiculously low at the moment making now the cheapest time ever to experience one. And if you are after a Continental GT or any other luxury car, Exotic Car Trader can help make the buying process as convenient and as safe as it gets. Exotic Car Trader provides escrow protection, handles the delivery and the first inspection among other things. Selling a car through Exotic Car Trader works in much the same way only in that case you also get a professional photographer come to your doorstep.
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