If we asked you what the fastest car to ever travel underwater was/is, then we’d hazard a guess that the Lotus Esprit from 'The Spy Who Loved Me' would figure prominently in most people’s minds.
Although in reality the submarinal Lotus moved pretty pedestrian-like at so many fathoms beneath the ocean. Chiefly because Roger Moore was too busy impressing Barbara Bach to set any records either below or above sea level.
So, Which Car Is The Fastest Underwater then?
One individual who didn’t experience such distractions was the person who piloted the 771bhp new hybrid Bentley Continental GT Speed under a body of Norwegian-owned water.
Yes, you read right.
Almost by accident, said Bentley has inadvertently claimed the unofficial record for being the fastest car to ever drive underwater, whilst undergoing ‘road’ tests in the Scandinavian country recently.
And prior to it going on general release towards the end of June.
OK. But Tell Us This. Just HOW Fast Does The New Bentley Continental GT Speed Go ‘Underwater’?...
The exact same top end it experiences at sea level, as it happens.
That being 208mph at its most vocal.
Hang on. You Said ‘Underwater’. This Is A Joke, Right?
Not entirely.
The new hybrid Conti GT Speed was undergoing its tests in the longest subsea road tunnel in the world, and the deepest of any kind found anywhere else on planet earth.
Namely the impossible to pronounce Ryfylke Tunnel in Norway.
And to prove this actually happened when the new Bentley was launched at the end of June a film showcasing the tunnel run was also made available.
Which, as you’d expect from Bentley, was beautifully imagined and shot.
What’s All This Mean In Real Time/Terms?
It means it’s the most fleet of foot/tyre production Bentley to date.
And it’s a hybrid to boot.
Whilst the distinguished Bentley brotherhood bemoan the demise of the leviathan W12 engine block, the hybrid V8 which usurps it could end up being viewed as equally biblical in the long term.
After all the new Bentley Continental GT Speed manages to generate a cartoonish eyeball-gyrating 771bhp, in tandem with some 738 pound-per-feet of torquey grunt.
As noted above, the vmax is 208mph, while 62mph is acknowledged in a mere 3.1 seconds from the somewhat animated off.
Where Did The Hybrid System Originate And How Does It Work?
It’s a similar beast to the Volkswagen groups’ other plug-in hybrids.
Notably the new Porsche Panamera and Cayenne Turbo, along with the Lamborghini Urus SE.
Dubbed the ‘ultra performance hybrid’ the new Bentley Continental GT Speed houses a rear-mounted 25.9-kilowatt-hour battery pack which powers the electric motor.
Which is elsewhere bookended by the presence of the naturally-aspirated 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, linked to an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, an electronic limited slip diff and four-wheel-drive.
If you wish to travel in both style and silence, then the ‘leccy motor as a standalone means of projection can muster 332lb ft of power and is good for a top speed of 87mph.
Or what’s commonly referred to as a comfortable cruising speed for a Monaco-bound grand tourer of pedigree.
What’s more, it can draw on its purely electrical reserves for a maximum of 50 miles before it requires the assistance of the V8 lump.
The distance combination of both power sources ensures in the region of 530 miles can be covered with peace of mind, whilst battery charging is done and dusted within a 3 hour window.
What Else Is New About The New Bentley Continental GT Speed?
Well, if the powertrain wasn’t enough to get used to the idea of, then just wait until you get a load of the facelifted exterior nuances.
Although on first glance little - if anything - appears to have changed, on closer inspection you’ll observe that the front end receives new single headlamps.
Said to have been inspired by coach-built models like the Bacalar and Batur, a single headlight Bentley hasn’t been seen since the S2 model way back in 1959.
And as any Premier League footballer will tell you, the twin headlamp motif has been a perma-feature of the Conti GT ever since its debut in 2003.
The entire car has undergone a visual makeover, affording it what Bentley describes as an ‘ageless ambience’. Courtesy of a new set of tail lights, bumper and a little lip on the boot to tick the aero box.
Subtle overtures come to an abrupt end when confronted by the huge 22” rims and equally vast brakes.
And then take a turn for the more vulgar when brazenly undoing all of its discretionary strides by trumpeting how the new Bentley Continental GT Speed possesses the ‘stance of a resting beast.’
Right. Now I Need To Know How Much It Will Cost Me, And When Are the Order Books Opening?
UK prices are intonated to be in the ballpark figure of £236k, while Crewe will start manufacturing the new Bentley Continental GT Speed in the third quarter of 2024.
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