Customers want more
Bentley is on a roll these days. When the English luxury brand was bought by the Volkswagen group in 1998, things weren't going too well. But with a massive investment by their new parent company, Bentley seems to have convinced the world that they weren't about to fade away.
In 2003, Bentley sold 995 cars globally, including just 15 in Canada. Since then, the company's production has escaladed by a proportion that every car manufacturer dreams of; last year, 10,014 Bentleys stormed out of the Crewe assembly plant, with 182 of them being sold in our country. That's quite a comeback, obviously triggered by the arrival of the Continental models, the GT, GTC and Flying Spur.
But customers keep asking for more, and that's why Bentley created the Speed models. The 2009 Flying Spur Speed was officially introduced in Montreal in front of a few journalists, but mostly friends and customers.
According to Bentley Motors' North-American President and Chief Operating Officer, the Speed fulfills their clients' desires to have even more exclusivity, luxury and power. Christophe Georges, 41, is a charming and laid-back guy who looks exactly like your typical Bentley buyer; in the last few years, the average age of the company's customer base has gone down to about 45 years old.
The Continental Flying Spur Speed is the most powerful sedan ever built by Bentley. As if 552 horsepower wasn't enough, the Speed boasts 600 horses and a massive 553 lb-ft of torque from its 6.0-litre W12 engine. Power is still channelled through a 6-speed automatic gearbox and all-wheel drive.
Other mechanical changes include a lowered ride height, sportier shocks and anti-roll bars, 20-inch wheels with Pirelli P Zero performance tires as well as a revised steering system. You can recognize the Speed model by its dark chrome grille and air intakes as well as wider tail pipes.
Bentley is on a roll these days. When the English luxury brand was bought by the Volkswagen group in 1998, things weren't going too well. But with a massive investment by their new parent company, Bentley seems to have convinced the world that they weren't about to fade away.
In 2003, Bentley sold 995 cars globally, including just 15 in Canada. Since then, the company's production has escaladed by a proportion that every car manufacturer dreams of; last year, 10,014 Bentleys stormed out of the Crewe assembly plant, with 182 of them being sold in our country. That's quite a comeback, obviously triggered by the arrival of the Continental models, the GT, GTC and Flying Spur.
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But customers keep asking for more, and that's why Bentley created the Speed models. The 2009 Flying Spur Speed was officially introduced in Montreal in front of a few journalists, but mostly friends and customers.
According to Bentley Motors' North-American President and Chief Operating Officer, the Speed fulfills their clients' desires to have even more exclusivity, luxury and power. Christophe Georges, 41, is a charming and laid-back guy who looks exactly like your typical Bentley buyer; in the last few years, the average age of the company's customer base has gone down to about 45 years old.
The Continental Flying Spur Speed is the most powerful sedan ever built by Bentley. As if 552 horsepower wasn't enough, the Speed boasts 600 horses and a massive 553 lb-ft of torque from its 6.0-litre W12 engine. Power is still channelled through a 6-speed automatic gearbox and all-wheel drive.
Other mechanical changes include a lowered ride height, sportier shocks and anti-roll bars, 20-inch wheels with Pirelli P Zero performance tires as well as a revised steering system. You can recognize the Speed model by its dark chrome grille and air intakes as well as wider tail pipes.
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