The standard Continental GT is already an engineering marvel, not to mention one of the fastest cars on sale at the moment, which might beg the question whether or not the 2022 Continental GT Speed was necessary at all. Especially when we consider that the performance difference between the two is almost neglectable. But it’s not all about outright performance with the Continental GT Speed. It exists for those customers who appreciate a sporting spirit more than that of high end luxury. That’s why the 2022 Continental GT Speed gets an interior that’s much closer to those of mid engined supercars, and the exterior isn’t left u touched either. With enormous 22 inch wheels, a lower ride height and extra splitters all around, the included changes are more than enough to make a difference. That said, the Continental GT Speed is the most powerful and fastest Bentley on sale at the moment which is an impressive title to hold regardless of how far ahead it is. But before we cover all the interesting details, check out the Bentleys currently for sale at Exotic Car Trader.
The Speed badge is virtually as old as the Continental GT itself with the first one coming out in 2007 just a few years after the initial launch. The second generation wasn’t spared the Speed treatment either, and the last iteration came out in 2021 for the third time. The Speed recipe remained the same for all three generations and that was more power, better acceleration, and what the point of the Speed trim is, a higher top speed. The first generation was actually made to be the fastest Bentley ever, but thanks to the Supersports, it was the only one to get the title. Even so, the 2022 Continental GT Speed is at the moment the fastest new Bentley you can buy until the third generation Supersports comes out. But the good thing about the Speed is that it’s not a limited production run and it doesn’t cost a ton more than the standard Continental. That makes it perfect for customers who want a bit more sporting edge. In other words, it's a flagship equivalent to the Continental GT V8 S, a GT W12 S if you will.
Inside, the 2022 Continental GT Speed saw the most significant changes. For one, the seats featured alcantara inserts making them look sportier but also grip the driver’s body better. Alcantara then spreads across the lower part of the dashboard, the doors and can even be had on top of the dashboard as an option. The extra alcantara coupled with sporty color splits throughout the cabin make the 2022 Continental GT Speed look much sexier. Then, all of that wood trim that spreads across the entire dashboard and into the doors and center console is now replaced with shiny carbon fiber. Considering how wood trim is usually inside a Continental GT, this might just be the most exposed carbon fiber you can find in a luxury. The steering wheel also gets a split between alcantara and standard leather to complete the look. All these changes make the cabin atmosphere substantially different from a standard Continental GT, and more appealing to most younger buyers. At the same time, the 2022 Continental GT Speed isn’t a stripped down racer so you still get the wonderful ambient lighting, the rotating screen, a digital dashboard, massaging seats, and all other bells and whistles found in the standard trim.
The exterior changes on a 2022 Continental GT Speed are much more subtle, but still make it distinguishable from a normal Continental GT. The most noticeable difference comes from the new bespoke wheels measuring 22 inches. They are styled after older generations with a double multi spoke design in most cases finished in gun metal gray or black. All the chrome trim is now black as standard including the front grille and the side trim that wraps around the rear bumper starting at the wing vents. The 2022 Continental GT Speed design is further enhanced front, side and rear splitters making it look lower than it already is. The bezels around the crystal headlights and tail lights are also blacked out as well as the trim around the windows. In the rear, the Continental GT Speed gets four exhaust tips which are bespoke to the model as they are individual tips instead of the connected ones found on a V8. A new lip is added to the trunk lid just behind the retractable spoiler which was seen on older Continental GT Speed models as well. With everything said and done, the new design cues give away that the Continental GT Speed is much more focused on performance.
The extra power the 2022 Continental GT Speed gets puts it right up there with the Aston Martin DB11 AMR, the Ferrari GTC4 Lusso, and past the McLaren GT in terms of top speed. The Continental GT Speed tops out at 208 mph which is just 1 mph faster than the standard model, but it puts it into the top three fastest GTs on sale. And even though the GT Speed weighs 4,947 lbs, it still sprints to 60 in just 3.5 seconds. That’s made possible by the extra 27 horsepower making it a round 650 and 664 lb-ft of torque. That said, the 48 volt damping system in the 2022 Continental GT Speed has been retuned apart from having a lower ride height. The GT Speed is also the first Bentley to get an electronic limited slip differential in the rear with a more rear biased power distribution. The front end basically only kicks in to get you out of trouble and in sport mode, over 80% of power goes to the rear wheels at all times. Moreover, the GT Speed is also the first Bentley to get rear wheel steering which helps it feel nimble despite the enormous weight. All these improvements make the 2022 Continental GT Speed feel as light as a GT V8 while being much faster.
The standard Continental GT is by no means a cheap car with a starting price of $235,000, but the 2022 Continental GT Speed takes it to a whole new level even on the used market. When it was new, the 2022 Continental GT Speed had a starting price of $305,000. Today, the prices sit comfortably at around $270,000 on the used market. Granted, all those examples have less than 5,000 miles on them, but that’s quite a jump from the 2021 Continental GT used prices which sit at around $200,000.
Although the Continental GT Speed is considerably more expensive than the standard Conti, it still gets you a good number of extras apart from the obvious bragging rights. The rear electronic differential, the rear wheel steering and a completely reworked interior are just a few things you get, and that’s before we go into performance. At the end of the day, the Continental GT Speed is by no means just a body kit and a bit of alcantara. Whether or not it’s worth it is up to the customer but what is worth it is buying your next luxury car through Exotic Car Trader. With escrow protection, delivery and first inspection the chances of something going south when buying a luxury vehicle through Exotic Car Trader are slim to none. At the same time, selling a car through Exotic Car Trader gets you the same perks plus a professional photographer at your door.
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