A Bentley Continental GT Speed was taken to its top speed of 206 mph (331 kmph) by Australian racing legend John Bowe on a 200-km stretch of a derestricted highway in the outback of the country.

The top speed was verified by a GPS speedometer provided by Motec.

The 635 PS (626 bhp), 820 Nm (607 lb.ft) W12-powered GT Speed Grand Tourer reached Vmax in just 76 seconds, covering a distance of 9.4 km in the process. 

At top speed, the 6.0-litre twin-turbo Grand Tourer was covering a staggering 92 m or one football pitch per second.

John Bowe said: “This isn’t a modified racecar; it’s a luxurious grand touring road car fresh off the production line. It took us a little over a minute to go from a standstill to 206 mph. That’s extraordinary. Even when you break through the 200 mph barrier, the GT Speed just keeps accelerating.”

The Stuart Highway covers a distance of 1,761 miles (2,834 km) from Darwin in the Northern Territory to Port Augusta, South Australia – approximately the same distance as London to Istanbul or New York to Denver. In October 2013 the local government announced a trial period of reverting to an open speed limit on the 120-mile (200 km) stretch between Alice Springs and Barrow Creek.

At Vmax, the 2016 model year Bentley Continental GT Speed is circulating 216 litres of coolant through its engine and radiator per minute; drawing over 4,700 litres of air through its radiator each second; and using 80 per cent of its engine power just to overcome aerodynamic loads.

A six-time Australian touring car and two-time Bathurst 1,000 champion, Bowe was the perfect choice of driver for Bentley’s high-speed run in the ‘Red Centre’. He is also familiar with the Continental as he currently races a GT3 Down Under with Flying B Racing.

The high-speed runs were performed in controlled conditions. A section of the highway was closed with the assistance of the Northern Territory government and observed by helicopter at all times. Full safety checks were performed on the vehicle before the high-speed run.

Bentley Motors is one of the most sought after luxury car brands in the world. The company’s headquarters in Crewe is home to all of its operations including design, R&D, engineering and production of the company’s three model lines, Continental, Flying Spur and Mulsanne. 

The combination of fine craftsmanship, using skills that have been handed down through generations, alongside engineering expertise and cutting-edge technology is unique to UK luxury car brands such as Bentley. It is also an example of high-value British manufacturing at its best. Bentley employs around 3,800 people at Crewe.