Skip to main content

With 633 hp, the 2017 Continental GT Speed is the burliest Bentley ever built

Bentley’s Continental GT Speed is an easy car to fall for. It’s fast, handsome, and the interior is opulent in a way only British luxury vehicles can be — handcrafted to perfection. We like it so much that the convertible won our Luxury Car of the Year award in 2015, but Bentley’s latest version kicks everything up a notch.

For 2017, the entire GT Speed lineup gets a massaged version of Bentley’s 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12. The massive powerplant now makes 633 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of torque, which are not only improvements of 7 hp and 15 lb-ft. over last year, they officially make the 2017 model the most powerful Bentley ever. Flat out, the big Brit will sprint to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and top out at a lofty 206 mph.

The luxury coupe comes in four flavors — the GT Speed ($240,300), the GT Speed Black Edition ($253,235), the GT Speed Convertible ($264,300), and the GT Speed Convertible Black Edition ($277,235). Separating the quartet are a variety of trim packages that include unique exterior finishes, wheel options, and interior decorations, however there aren’t any notable mechanical differences. That said, the blue and red “Open Ocean” configuration is probably worth the price of admission on its own.

U.S. Bentley dealers are taking orders now, with deliveries starting in summer.

Read more: Bentley’s Mulsanne flagship might lose its lid after all

Owning a new Continental GT Speed would make 99 percent of the driving world happy, but if you’re less about performance and more about pure opulence, the rumored Mulsanne Convertible could be right up your alley.

Bentley’s topless flagship has not been confirmed yet, but if given the green light, it could launch in low volumes sometime in the next two years. It’ll definitely cost you though, as the iconic two-door will likely cost upward of $1 million. Read more about the car here, and keep your fingers crossed.

Andrew Hard
Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…
Waymo recalled 1,200 robotaxis following collisions with road barriers
Waymo Jaguar I-Pace

Waymo’s autonomous-car technology has made great advances over the years to the point where it’s now allowed to offer paid robotaxi rides in select locations in the U.S.

But the development of the technology is ongoing, and the robotaxi rides continue to gather valuable data for Waymo engineers to pore over as they further refine the driverless system to make it as reliable and efficient as possible. Which is why glitches will sometimes occur.

Read more
Apple CarPlay Ultra looks stunning in Aston Martin supercar debut
Apple CarPlay Ultra

Apple CarPlay Ultra is the next generation of the Cupertino, California-based firm's smartphone projection system for your car, and it's available in new vehicles in the US and Canada.

When we say "new cars", your options are very much limited to one brand... Aston Martin. So you'll need deep pockets if you want to experience CarPlay Ultra for yourself.

Read more
Archer’s flying taxis head to LA for the 2028 Olympics
archer air taxi la28 inglewood aerial a final

Remember the buzz about flying taxis zipping through Paris for the 2024 Olympics? That sci-fi fantasy never got off the ground —Germany’s Volocopter dream was denied certification, leaving fans staring at the same old ground traffic. But now, the skies are opening again for a second shot at glory—this time over Los Angeles.
Archer Aviation, the California-based electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company, has been named the exclusive air taxi provider for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Archer’s Midnight aircraft, a piloted electric air taxi designed to carry four passengers, will be whisking around VIPs, fans, and stakeholders between venues and key locations like LAX, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and even Orange County. Think 10-20 minute flights that skip the infamous LA gridlock and land you right where the action is—on the roof, basically.
“We want to transform the way people get around Los Angeles and leave a legacy that shapes the future of transportation in America. There’s no better time to do that than during the LA28 Games,” said Adam Goldstein, CEO and founder of Archer Aviation.
And Midnight isn’t just a pretty rotor. It’s a whisper-quiet, emission-light aircraft with 12 rotors and a redundant, airline-level safety design.
What’s more, Archer and LA28 are working together to electrify vertiport hubs around the city—think futuristic sky stations—to serve not only Games-time needs but also to plant seeds for a post-Olympic air mobility network.
The air mobility market has been fast developing over the past few years, featuring the likes of Hyundai partnership with China’s XPeng HT Aero and Toyota's backing of Joby Aviation, a U.S. venture. Joby bought Uber Elevate in 2020, hoping to someday pair its air taxis with Uber’s ride-hailing app.
Archer, for its part, has been busy building a strategic partnership with United Airlines, which has already placed orders for the aircraft and is helping with logistics to integrate air taxis into airport-to-downtown travel. More than a demo for the cameras, the LA28 partnership will showcase urban air travel for real-world daily use, starting with one of the most high-profile events on Earth.
After raising false hopes in Paris, the air taxi dream is aiming for liftoff in LA—and this time, it might just stick the landing.

Read more