Bentley Continental GT Speed named 2022 Car of the Year by 'Robb Report'

MANILA: The Bentley Continental GT Speed was hailed as the 2022 Car of the Year by leading international publication Robb Report. It is the most dynamic road car Bentley has ever created and considered as the ultimate performance-focused form of the industry’s standard for luxury grand tourer models.

The Bentley Continental GT Speed stood out among the 10 contenders, which included the Audi RS 6 Avant that combines supercar speed with wagon practicality and the phenomenal track-inspired Lamborghini Huracan STO. The first generation of Bentley Continental GT also won the same title from Robb Report in 2004.

Robb Report editors unanimously praised the Continental GT’s responsiveness, which they attributed to the luxury grand tourer’s four-wheel steering and limited-slip differential.

“This car sparks joy at every turn and every press of the gas pedal,” Robb Report Editor Kylie White stated.

The Continental GT Speed is powered by Bentley’s legendary 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12 engine that generates 659ps and an astounding 900Nm of torque, allowing the two-door grand tourer to reach a top speed of 335kph and a zero-to-100 kph sprint time of 3.6 seconds. Both the engine and transmission have been tuned to be driver-centric. In Sport mode, the W12 upshifts or downshifts later to stay in its power band longer, while the dual-clutch, eight-speed gearbox shifts twice as quickly.

Despite its exceptional performance, the Continental GT Speed maintains the luxury, comfort, and practicality that Bentley is known for. The Bentley Dynamic Ride and three-chamber active air suspension with adaptive damping play a key role on this, allowing the car to find a balance between comfort and maximum performance.

In the 19^th edition of Robb Report’s Car of the Year, the publication shifted to new roads and courses to evaluate the vehicles. Robb Report also revised its judging criteria and devised a new points scale that made the review process faster and fairer. In addition, judges evaluated models in five categories: looks, performance, luxury and comfort, utility, and “wow” factor and collectability.

Robb Report wrote, “In the end, our judges hardly suffered, driving 10 exceptional automobiles representing a range of aesthetics, engineering and philosophies.”

Photos from Bentley

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