German Car Zone

Jerez, Spain -- Here's a simple question: if 550 horsepower is good, what is better? How about 600 horsepower? That, in a nutshell, is the strategy behind Bentley's newest offering, the Continental GT Speed, for 2008.
As the Volkswagen-owned British luxury brand considered upgrading its successful Continental GT coupe, owners told the company, 'don't change our car, just give us more of what we already have."
The result, explains engineering chief, Dr. Ulrich Eichhorn, is the first production Bentley capable of topping 200mph. The horsepower figure and top speed capability may sound academic in today's driving environment, but such numbers are important to buyers of cars in the GT class. One of the reasons is that the luxury market niche occupied by the GT has grown more crowded since the car's debut in 2003. Crowded, that is, by ultra-luxury standards. When it was launched, the GT pretty much had the $150,000 to $200,000 segment to itself. But other brands noted Bentley's success and have since joined the party with models such as Aston Martin's DB9, the Mercedes-Benz S65, Ferrari F430 and Lamborghini Gallardo (another VW-owned brand).

The arrival of the $200,000 GT Speed caps a remarkable chapter in the long history of Bentley, a period in which a German automaker took over a famed but ailing British marque and turned its fortunes around. The launch of the Continental GT coupe in 2003 was the first concrete step in Bentley's revival, along with a multi-million pound investment in the factory in Crewe, England and a race victory at the grueling Le Mans endurance event. The workforce grew to over 3800, with a 500 strong engineering team, and output soared from 1000 to 10,000 annually, numbers the pre-VW Bentley management could only dream of.
On the heels of the Continental GT coupe, Bentley has launched the Flying Spur four-door model, the GTC convertible, plus the ultra-low volume, larger Azure and Brooklands models. The success of Bentley's plan was founded on exploiting the $150,000 to $200,000 segment, which in 2003 had total volume of 2800 units. Today the sector amounts to 17,400 units, of which Bentley holds a comfortable 50 percent.
Though the lion's share of Bentley's output goes to the US and European markets, the company has seen growing sales in emerging markets such as China, India and the Middle East. Overall sales in 2007 have been up by 18 percent and revenues and profits have increased commensurately.
Bentley chairman, Dr Franz-Joseph Paefgen, who has led Bentley through its comeback, says the revival has gone largely according to plan. "Originally the GTC was not planned, and there was a level of uncertainty over the future of the large car line, but in general we improved the plan year over year," he says. "And now with all the Continental derivatives in place, we will be very close to the 10,000 capacity we expected."

In terms of VW's investment in Bentley, Paefgen says the company is in a position to pay back its debts after five years, beating original projections.
Along with well designed and positioned new models, Bentley has prospered because of management's careful handling of the workforce. Over the years, rocky labor relations have undermined most of Britain's once-thriving auto industry, but Paefgen and his team found the key to repairing the union relationship.
"When we started there was not much confidence among the workforce, so year on year we told them exactly what we were planning, what we wanted to see and how our performance was going according to plan," he says, adding that his experience working with unions in Germany and Italy helped him come up with the right approach. "At the end of day if you are open and up front and tell them the truth, and there is balanced workload for them and the company, they are supportive and contributing to business.
"Of course it is easier when you are growing," he notes.

As mentioned, competition in the marketplace is increasing. Aston Martin's DB9 is in Bentley's territory, Maserati is moving in the same direction, and Mercedes-Benz has positioned its new CL model closer to the Continental. "It's obvious," says Paefgen, "they have all studied what we have been doing and will be there sooner or later."
However, Paefgen sees important distinctions between the brands. "Aston are British like us, but they do sports cars and are closer to brands like Ferrari and Porsche. Compared to Rolls-Royce we are more sporting and aimed at the more active driver."

Underscoring that point is the new GT Speed model. Building on the GT's reputation as a high-speed, cross-continent tourer, the GT Speed delivers what Eichhorn describes as a tidal wave of torque, up 15 percent to 550lb ft, as well as nine percent more horsepower. The power boost is accompanied by a host of engineering changes to the chassis and brakes, plus some subtle changes to the exterior and interior design. One standout feature is the brake system, which now boasts the world's largest production carbon composite discs - at 16.5 inches in front bigger than some family car wheels.

Such massive brakes come in handy with a car that weighs 5200 lbs and can reach 60mph in 4.3 seconds, en route to a 202mph top speed. At the wheel, the GT Speed's chassis modifications give the Bentley a more secure feel at high speed, even on challenging country roads. For such a large car, the steering precision is excellent and confidence building. And when it comes to acceleration, the GT Speed lunges down the road with a staggering pace that belies the car's mass.
Back off the gas pedal, however, and the GT Speed will potter around town unobtrusively, comfortably and, surprisingly, using 3.5 percent less fuel than the current model. Just as Bentley owners requested, it is the same as the GT, only better.
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