Skip to main content

Bentley Continental GT ‘Monster by Mulliner’ makes some noise at CES 2016

Bentley Continental GT V8 S "Monster by Mulliner"
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Bentley is getting in on the CES 2016 festivities with a customized Continental GT built in partnership with Monster. Called the “Monster by Mulliner,” it’s got a sound system designed with the attention to detail only this famously fastidious British carmaker could sanction.

Bentley’s CES show car features a 3,400-watt Monster audio system, with 16 speakers hand selected by “Head Monster” Noel Lee. Pumped up sound systems are normally something one associates with old Honda Civics and Ford Mustangs driven by people with backward-facing baseball caps, but high-performance sound is fast becoming as much a mark of luxury as leather and wood trim.

Recommended Videos

To highlight the car’s specialness, Bentley decked out the interior in Monster’s colors of black and red, and added special seats from its Mulliner bespoke division. Taking its name from a coachbuilder, Mulliner handles various car-customization projects for Bentley. There’s also a special compartment that houses 24-karat gold Monster headphones. They’re the perfect accessory for a Bentley, really.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

The black-and-red theme carries over to the exterior, which looks suitably monstrous. The main paint color is “Onyx,” with “Hotspur” accents. Bentley also added a custom body kit and radiator-shell bezel, and “stylized” the black hood vents. Red brake calipers and gloss black wheels complete the look.

There are no apparent mechanical changes to this Continental GT V8 S, which uses a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8, rather than the 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 found in other Continental variants. It may be the smaller of the two engines, but the V8 still produces 520 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque, which is sent to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

A stock Continental GT V8 S coupe weighs 5,060 pounds, and the Monster sound system may have added even more to that. But this car still has enough grunt to do 0 to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds, and to reach a top speed of 192 mph. What song would you play while doing that?

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Find Ford gifts for everyone on your holiday list, no really
Ford Accessories used while camping for holiday gifts

When you're shopping for holiday gifts, auto and Ford accessories probably don't cross your mind, at least not initially. Unless, of course, you're planning some gift ideas for the car enthusiast you know. But actually, Ford has a lot of different gift options even for those who aren't big into cars and vehicles. I know, it's an odd proposal but hear me out. From electronics and exterior accessories to truck bed augments, interior gear, and even outdoor-friendly gear -- like for camping -- Ford has a ton of options. Just to provide some examples, first aid safety kits, truck bed camping tents, portable fridges, pet-friendly seat mats, even dashcams, keyless entry systems, and beyond.

You never know, you could find the perfect gift in Ford's accessories lineup.
Shop Now

Read more
Costco, Electrify America add EV-charging stations in three states
costco electrify america add 50 ev charging stations in three states ea chargers 1280

Costco, which had abandoned offering EV charging 12 years ago, is getting serious about resuming the service.

Over a month ago, the big-box retailer once again put its brand name on a DC fast-charging station in Ridgefield, Washington, that was made by Electric Era .

Read more
Mini’s infotainment system is very charming, but still needs work
Main screen of the Mini infotainment system

When you think Mini, you probably don’t think of infotainment. Personally, I think of the British flag taillights, the distinct exterior, and the surprising room on the inside. But after driving the Mini John Cooper Works Countryman over the past week, infotainment might well be something I think of more often when it comes to Mini. It’s charming.

It also, however, suffers from all the traps that other legacy automakers fall into when it comes to software design. Mini has something on its hands here — but it still needs some work.
Bringing the charm
The first thing that stood out to me about the system when I got in the car was how fun it was. That all starts with the display. It’s round! No, it’s not curved — the screen is a big, round display sits in at 9.4 inches, and I found it plenty large enough for day-to-day use.

Read more