Beauty meets the Beast in 2021 Bentley Continental GT Speed

The Bentley brand is known for making opulent automobiles. With models such as the Flying Spur and Bentayga, the Crewe-based automaker knows a thing or two about making luxury vehicles.

But the British automaker is also known for making grand tourers, and they have just revealed their fastest leather-lined two-door yet. It's called the 2021 Bentley Continental GT Speed, and it packs nearly 660 PS.

Under the hood, the Continental GT Speed is powered by the familiar 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12. However, the Speed squeezes out more from the mighty 12-cylinder. From 635 PS, the Continental GT Speed cranks out an extra 24 PS – resulting in a whopping 659 PS. Torque remains the same, however, at 900 Nm.

An eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) sends power to all four wheels. But like the engine, it has been tweaked to deliver better performance. According to Bentley, the DCT now shifts faster, especially when the gearbox is in 'Sport' mode. The Continental GT Speed does 0 – 100 km/h in only 3.6 seconds and reaches a top speed of 335 km/h.

Complementing the more powerful W12 is a revised suspension/steering that Bentley says will deliver better handling. For starters, it now comes with all-wheel steering that improves the car's agility. At moderate speeds, the front and rear wheels move in opposite directions for smoother turning.

Meanwhile, at higher speeds, all four wheels turn in the same direction to provide better cornering and stability. To top it all off, the Continental GT Speed has a Dynamic Ride Feature that reduces body pitch, and a limited-slip differential that gives this two-door monster better traction at any speed.

As far as styling is concerned, it's subtle with a hint of aggression. The front fascia now features a Dark Tint finish on the grille, lower air intakes, side sills. There are also neat touches of 'Speed' badges finished in Chrome throughout the body that signifies this Bentley's best quality. Finally, it gets huge 22-inch alloy wheels that are unique only to this Continental GT.

Even the interior of this Bentley was given special attention. Fifteen primary colors and eleven secondary colors are available to mix and match inside the Continental GT Speed. There's also a special center console that can be finished in the same color as the exterior. As for the seats, special two-tone leather and Alcantara upholstery come as standard.

The 2021 Bentley Continental GT Speed is set to go on sale later this year. That means it could arrive in the country next year as a 2022 model year.