Autoblog

Autoblog Podcast #305 with Matt Edmonds of Tire Rack

Dan Roth — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 18:02:00 EST

Filed under: Podcasts, Safety, Technology, Bentley, Buick, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Opel

Matt Edmonds from Tire Rack, Opel Cascada, Nissan steer-by-wire

Episode #305 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Zach Bowman and David Kiley are joined by Matt Edmonds from Tire Rack, our title sponsor. There's plenty of in-depth discussion of tires and wheels, plus winter tires. We also touched on the Opel Cascada and its chances at becoming a Buick and Nissan's forthcoming steer-by-wire system. For those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Keep reading for our Q&A module for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #305:

Topics:

In the Autoblog Garage:
2013 Lexus GS 450h
2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed
2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK350

Hosts: Dan Roth, Zach Bowman, David Kiley
Guests: Matt Edmonds - the Tire Rack

Runtime: 01:16:55

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Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #305 with Matt Edmonds of Tire Rack

Autoblog Podcast #305 with Matt Edmonds of Tire Rack originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed

Zach Bowman — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Bentley, First Drives, UK, Luxury

Meeting Bentley's 205-MPH Prince On The Autobahn

I'm travelling at the approximate speed of privilege. With the aluminum accelerator of the 2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed buried to its neck in the high-pile carpet of the floorboard, the 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12 underhood is at full boast. The 616 furious British horses pumping under that long, proud prow set the German countryside to frappé with breathless ease, and with the sprawling sheetmetal of the coupe settled comfortably onto its haunches in eager anticipation of ever more thrust, it's clear this machine is content to consume endless kilometers of Autobahn in wide-mouthed gulps. There's an open lane of unrestricted tarmac unraveling before me, and I'm keen to oblige every thread of temptation singing in my chest. The speedometer has just clicked past 165 mph.

At this clip, the new crown jewel of the Bentley war chest is covering land at the rate of nearly one football field per second. The white lines on the road are beginning to fade into a solid stream, and I'm suddenly aware of the increasingly rapid heartbeat whispering the truth of my mortality in my ears. There's no looking anywhere other than as far to the horizon as possible, but even with my eyes set to long-range scan, it's clear that if something goes wrong at this velocity, they'll be burying an empty box in the hills of Tennessee. That little bit of trivia makes it all the more disconcerting when an ambling Volkswagen Jetta strays into my lane for no other reason than to take in the glorious sight of me manufacturing a stack of bricks in the quilted-leather driver's seat of someone else's $228,600 supercar.

Continue reading 2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed

2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Oct 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bentley releases full specs, new images of Continental GT Speed [w/video]

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Bentley, Luxury

First we found out about it, then we saw it at Pebble Beach, and now we've got the full skinny on the 2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed. There's more to the crown prince king of the Continental GT range than its 616 horsepower, 590 pound-feed, eight-speed transmission, 205-mph top speed and four-second run from zero to 60.

The W12 engine has been fitted with an energy recuperation system that optimizes the use of the electrical system and alternator - during deceleration, for instance, energy is stored for use later. It's a feature that has spread to all members of the GT line along with the eight-speed transmission, and combined with new engine management software, the result is an improvement of up to 12 percent in fuel economy for all but the GTC droptop, which improves by 10 percent. The hardtop GT line now returns a combined 19.5 mpg, the convertible gets a combined 19 mpg even.

It's not all about conservation, though: when you want to get on it, the eight-speed can "block shift" four gears, going instantly from eighth to fourth for quicker giddyup. Making the most of that speed is the revised steering and reworked suspension with stiffer springs, anti-roll bars and bushings, guided by new software. The exhaust is an evolution of that used on the Continental Supersports Ice Speed Record car, producing a deeper sound under acceleration. Bringing the proceedings to a stop are huge iron discs with eight-piston calipers, or even huger carbon discs said to last for the life of the car.

To know more, have a read of the press release below, or enjoy the deep blue details in the high-res photo gallery.

Continue reading Bentley releases full specs, new images of Continental GT Speed [w/video]

Bentley releases full specs, new images of Continental GT Speed [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed debuting at Goodwood with 616 HP and 205 MPH top speed

Steven J. Ewing — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Bentley, Luxury

The rumors were true: Bentley will be debuting the car you see here, the 2013 Continental GT Speed, at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed. And while it doesn't look all that different (if at all) from a standard Conti GT, the changes under the hood are what sets this big coupe apart from its kin. Take notice: With a top speed of 205 miles per hour, this is the fastest production car that Bentley has ever produced.

That outrageous top end comes courtesy of some extra grunt from the twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 engine. Overall output has been increased by 49 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque, meaning there's a whopping 616 hp and 590 lb-ft on tap. A new close-ratio, eight-speed automatic transmission has been employed to manage all that power (which is still sent to all four wheels), and all in, the Continental GT Speed will sprint to 60 miles per hour in four seconds flat.

For the GT Speed, Bentley has modified the chassis and steering setups, and the car's overall ride height has been lowered. Furthermore, the faster Conti rides on unique 21-inch wheels wrapped in sticky 275/35R21 Pirelli PZero tires. Inside, Bentley offers the Mulliner Driving Specification as standard equipment as well as "a number of signature Speed design cues that combine contemporary luxury with a distinctly sporting character." Sounds nice.

Orders for the 2013 GT Speed are being taken as you read this, with the first cars being delivered in October this year. Scroll down for the official press release, and stay tuned for the car's official unveiling at Goodwood, where drivers Juha Kankunnen, Guy Smith and Derek Bell will drive a pre-production version up the infamous hill twice a day.

Continue reading 2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed debuting at Goodwood with 616 HP and 205 MPH top speed

2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed debuting at Goodwood with 616 HP and 205 MPH top speed originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Next Bentley Continental GT Speed caught undisguised

Steven J. Ewing — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Bentley, Luxury

The 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show is just around the corner, where Bentley is set to reveal its brand-spanking-new Continental GT Speed. Our intrepid spy photographers caught this Conti prototype out on the street completely uncovered, meaning there's little left for us to speculate about before the supercoupe's debut.

The Speed model is set apart from its kin by a more aggressive lower fascia and different exhaust outlets, but don't let the subtlety fool you - the real story is what's under the hood. Mum's the word on exactly what we can expect in terms of power, but seeing as how the last Continental GT Speed produced 600 horsepower, you'd be right to expect numbers north of that for the new one.

We'll have the full details come mid-September, if not sooner...

Next Bentley Continental GT Speed caught undisguised originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera to launch Bentley Continental shooting brake in Geneva

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:28:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Bentley, Specialty, Luxury

Earlier this month, we heard rumors that coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera planned to introduce a new bespoke version of the Bentley Continental GT. Now we've got confirmation that the firm will indeed introduce an shooting brake based on the GT at the Geneva Motor Show early next month.

Only 20 three-door estates are planned, and they'll reportedly be built atop the buyer's choice of a regular Continental GT or an uplevel Continental GT Speed. This will be the company's first product based on a vehicle from Bentley, though past models included the likes of Ferrari, Aston Martin and Lamborghini.

We don't have many details other than the teaser sketch above and that the GT will have two rear seats that fold independently, making for what we can only assume will be the World's Most Luxurious Six-Foot Luggage Parcel. An electrically operated folding tailgate is also on the menu.

[Source: Classic Driver]

Coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera to launch Bentley Continental shooting brake in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: Bentley Continental GT Speed

John Neff — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage, Coupe, Supercars, Bentley

Bentley Continental GT Speed - Click above for high-res image gallery

When we reviewed the Bentley Continental Flying Spur a couple of years ago, we showed you just how many other forms of transportation could be bought with the car's $183,825 out-the-door asking price. For this review of Bentley's new super coupe, the Continental GT Speed, we thought we'd list just a few of the cars that produce the same or less horsepower than the fastest Flying B ever made. The complete list is rather long considering that the GT Speed is powered by a twin-turbo, twelve-cylinder engine producing 600 horsepower, but here are just a few.

Dodge Viper - 600 horsepower
Lamborghini Murcielago - 571 horsepower
Ford GT - 550 horsepower
Porsche 911 GT2 - 530 horsepower
Corvette Z06 - 505 horsepower
Ferrari F430 Scuderia - 503 horsepower
1999 Oldsmobile Alero Coupe - 150 horsepower

While it's true that cars with 600+ horsepower are becoming common in the supercar segment, the GT Speed's 48-horsepower bump over the standard Continental GT drives it into some truly rarified air. Read on to find out how it fared in the Autoblog Garage.

Gallery: Review: Bentley Continental GT Speed

Continue reading Review: Bentley Continental GT Speed

Review: Bentley Continental GT Speed originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frankfurt 2007: Bentley Continental GT Speed... yes, please

John Neff — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:03:00 EST

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Coupe, Europe, Supercars, Bentley

click above image to view more high-res pics of the Bentley Continental GT Speed

Here at Autoblog we've had the fortune of reviewing not one, but two Bentleys - the Continental Flying Spur and the Continental GTC (still being written, but will be published soon). Perhaps if we only write glowing praise about Bentley from here on out they'll let us drive the new Continental GT Speed, the most powerful Bentley ever made. The twin-turbo W12 mill from standard Continental GT breathes better thanks to a redesigned and more upright grille, and its ECU has also been hacked resulting in a nice round 600bhp, a 48bhp bump. 20-inch wheels wrapped in ultra low-profile rubber, a new steering wheel not shared with VW, and optional carbon ceramic brakes round out the hardware upgrades. All told, 60 MPH should arrive in 4.2 seconds and the Continental GT Speed's 202 MPH top speed officially makes it the fastest Bentley ever made, as well.

The Bentley Continental GT Speed is one of the most photogenic cars at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, so check out all the live high-res pics in our gallery below, and click here to read the official press release from our original post.

Gallery: 2008 Bentley Continental GT Speed

Frankfurt 2007: Bentley Continental GT Speed... yes, please originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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