Bentley Adds Speed to Flying Spur

It was a little less than a year ago when Bentley unveiled the Speed

offering of

its Continental GT coupe model. It sported comprehensive

upgrades throughout, but the highlight of the Speed was its engine.

With Bentley's tweaks, the twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 engine could

now crank out an incredible 600 horsepower (up 9-percent from 552 hp) and 553

lb-ft of torque, making it without question the most powerful

production car Bentley had ever built.

Now,

for 2009, that package will be offered on the Continental Flying Spur

sedan. The Flying Spur Speed has the same miraculous engine as the

coupe version, which allows it to travel to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds,

and, unlike its German kin, is unrestricted, so it will top the

magical 200 mph barrier, allowing Bentley to continue holding the title

of World's Fastest Sedan.

Like the GT

Speed, the Flying Spur Speed has been enhanced in just about every

other conceivable way, like the suspension for instance, which has been

lowered by 0.4 inches and recalibrated for improved ride and handling at

high speed. And because 200 mph is extremely fast for a vehicle that is

as large and as heavy as this, Bentley has also made carbon/silicon

disc brakes available. The Flying Spur Speed also gets the GT Speed's

sill plates, 20-inch alloy wheels and the special three-spoke steering

wheel.

In case you hadn't already heard,

the entire Continental Flying Spur range has been upgraded for '09. Next

year's cars have a bigger, more upright grille and a different front

valance too, as well as adaptive cruise control and an 1,100-watt Naim high

performance stereo system.