Mechanically, the GT Speed ‘vert is identical to the coupe that broke cover earlier in the year. The big change is the addition of a folding soft-top instead of the regular Speed’s swept roof. Power (650 hp) and torque (664 lb-ft) from Bentley’s twin-turbo 6.0-liter W-12 stays the same in the drop-top as it does in the coupe. The same goes for the Speed’s impressive 208-mph top speed. The trot 60 mph does take 0.1 seconds longer compared to the coupe, though, rising from 3.5 to 3.6 seconds.
All the go-fast tech from the coupe that’s been added to the Speed to tame its additional power and torque is here, too. The GT Speed Convertible employs the same four-wheel-steering system that turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction—for the sake of agility—at low speeds and in the same direction as the fronts at high speeds (for extra stability). Massive silicon carbide brakes are here to haul you down from that lofty top speed, and the binders still hide behind a set of 22-inch Speed-exclusive wheels.
The same three driving modes from the Speed coupe appear in the Speed Convertible, too. Bentley and Comfort mode affirm the Conti’s grand-touring credentials, while Sport quickens the transmission and stiffens the suspension to scratch the driver’s itch for carving corners with more vigor. Selecting Sport mode also opens up the exhausts so you can better hear the glorious song of the Speed’s 12-cylinder powerplant.
Bentley says the soft top has been reworked for this new generation of Continental, making the ragtop model’s cabin as quiet as the old coupe. That top comes in seven different colors (including Tweed), too. There are also eight different colors for the roof’s interior-facing bit. Despite this, we don’t see why any Speed owner would ever drive this bad boy with the top up. Bentley didn’t mention a price tag, but we expect the Continental GT Speed Convertible to cost around 10 percent more than the Speed coupe when it reaches showrooms later this year.
