Blower Bentley
April 1, 2005
This
explains why the modifications from the German tuner Mansory have
intriguing
potential. Introduced at Essen last November, the Mansory’s
Continental GT
employs a modified ECU that increases horsepower to a
healthy 630 and bumps
torque to 553 ft lbs. According to the tuner,
acceleration to 60 mph improves
fractionally to 4.5 seconds. We haven’t
yet had the opportunity to drive the
car, but its numbers bode well for
all-around improvement. Mansory also offers a
comprehensive body kit
that includes a front spoiler with integrated fog lamps,
a rear apron
with two squared-off stainless steel exhaust tips, and an
integrated
trunk-mounted spoiler. One-piece, 20-inch alloy wheels can be painted
or chromed. The interior can be tailored to customer specification with
carbon
fiber trim, napa leather, and Alcantara.
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
Modifications to the interior, above, and exterior, below, are subtle but
distinct. (Click image to enlarge)
Given recent history, it is remarkable that a tuner would pay any attention to a Bentley. Even in the days of the Turbo R, journalists routinely commented on the car’s impressive torque before explaining why an S-Class Mercedes-Benz or 7 Series BMW surpassed the English car in just about every other category. That isn’t true of the current crop of Bentleys, and with an excellent base upon which to build, there will be plenty of work for tuners, especially from owners who might decide after the fact that they’d like a little something more. And as long as the Paris Hiltons, P. Diddys, and Ben Afflecks of the world continue to tool around in their Bentleys, the halo effect of celebrity will continue to enhance a Bentley’s desirability. So if you would like your Continental GT with a little more grunt, talk to Mansory soon—you might not be the only customer in line.
Mansory, +49.9236.969.880, www.mansory.com
advertisement
