EREZ, SPAIN - WHAT do you do when your mighty luxury coupe already wields a whopping 552bhp and hits 100kmh in 4.8 seconds? You give it more power, of course.

Bentley, it seems, doesn't know the meaning of the word 'excess'. Why else would the crew from Crewe be offering a performance upgrade option to the already absurdly quick Continental GT coupe?

Available as a variant to the facelifted GT, the Continental GT Speed (which is what this tweaked Bentley is called) now wields a monstrous 600bhp and 750Nm of torque (a full 100Nm more than before) from its twin-turbo 6-litre W12 engine.

Despite weighing 2.35 tonnes, it hits 100kmh in an effortless 4.5 seconds. Tread on the throttle and the car belts away from standstill without hesitation, barely pausing for breath as the automatic gearbox works its way seamlessly through its six forward ratios.

Even more impressive than its 0-100kmh sprint time is the way it continues to devour speed beyond that, hurtling past the 200kmh mark in about as much time as it takes to read this sentence.

Top speed is 326kmh, which is phenomenal for a big luxury car.

Even a single-minded supercar like the Ferrari F40 can manage 'only' 323kmh.

The engine isn't the only thing Bentley tweaked. Springs and dampers have been upgraded, and the Speed sits 15mm lower than the Continental GT. As with the standard car, there are four damper settings available, but the damping envelope has been shifted so that the firmest setting on the standard car is now setting No. 2 on the Speed.

The Speed's rims are one size bigger at 20 inches, and are shod with bespoke 275/35 Pirelli P-Zeros instead of the off-the-shelf P-Zero Rossos on the standard car.

Other detail changes include solid front subframe mountings and stiffer rear bushings. Both the Speed and standard models also benefit from a revised speed-sensitive power steering set-up.

Cosmetically, both models have a more upright front grille and chromed headlight bezels, with the Speed distinguished by the use of dark-tinted chrome instead of the standard car's brightwork.

Inside, the Speed comes with a sportier three-spoke steering wheel, a chrome-and-leather gear lever, drilled alloy pedals and gorgeously evocative diamond-quilted seat facings.

The dynamic revisions are clearly discernible. On high-speed sweepers as well as tighter bends, the car turns in with more immediacy and negligible body roll. The new damping set-up doesn't allow that big body the slightest inch of excess movement.

The car could do with more steering heft, but there's still enough feel to give you a fair idea of what's happening under the wheels. The fat tyres are massively grippy, and the all-wheel-drive allows you to exploit all 600 horses without the car becoming an unruly, oversteering handful.

As expected, the ride is noticeably stiffer than the standard car's, but is still pliant enough if the dampers are in either of the two softer settings. You're more aware of bumps now, but the cabin is still a very comfortable place to be.

The Bentley Continental GT remains very much a luxury car at heart. But if you crave that bit more sharpness, and if 552bhp isn't quite enough, then you've certainly got the need for Speed.

stlife@sph.com.sg

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT SPEED

Price: To be announced
Engine: 5,998cc twin-turbocharged 48-valve W12
Transmission: Six-speed automatic with paddle shift
Power: 600bhp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 750Nm at 1,750rpm
0-100kmh: 4.5 seconds
Top speed: 326kmh
Fuel consumption: 25.3 litres/100km (city)
Agent: Malayan Motors