How It's Made: Dream Cars (2013) s01e10 Episode Script

Narrator: THE BENTLEY
CONTINENTAL GT SPEED,
A CAR THAT COMBINES LUXURY
WITH TURBOCHARGED PERFORMANCE.
-- Captions by VITAC --
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
ALTHOUGH W.O. BENTLEY
FOUNDED HIS COMPANY
OUTSIDE OF LONDON IN 1919,
AFTER WORLD WAR II,
IT MOVED TO CREWE
IN CHESHIRE, ENGLAND.
AMONG THE CARS KEPT ON DISPLAY
IS A SPEED SIX,
AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN
AS OLD NUMBER 2.
BUILT IN 1930, IT'S PAR
OF A SERIES OF LEGENDARY CARS
THAT COMPETED IN THE FAMOUS
LE MANS RACE IN FRANCE.
THANKS TO ITS UNIQUE
RACING HISTORY,
THE AUCTION HOUSE CHRISTIE'S
HAS CALLED OLD NUMBER 2
THE MOST IMPORTANT VINTAGE CAR
IN EXISTENCE.
BUT THE OLDEST CAR HERE
IS THE EXP2.
"EXP" STANDS FOR EXPERIMENTAL.
UNHAPPY WITH EXP1,
HIS FIRST ATTEMP
AT BUILDING A CAR,
W.O. BENTLEY SCRAPPED IT,
WENT BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD,
AND BUILT THIS MODEL.
IT'S THE OLDEST SURVIVING
BENTLEY.
A 3-LITER PRE-PRODUCTION MODEL,
IT WAS THE FIRS
TO BE ENTERED INTO A RACE
AND ALSO THE FIRS
TO WIN A RACE.
THE CONTINENTAL GT SPEED
BRINGS BENTLEY'S GREA
AUTOMOTIVE LEGACY UP TO DATE
AND INTO THE FUTURE.
THE CAR COMPANY
HAS LONG BEEN KNOWN
FOR ITS USE
OF DELUXE MATERIALS
TO SUPPOR
HIGH-END DESIGN CONCEPTS.
THE GT SPEED
CONTINUES THIS TRADITION
BOTH INSIDE AND OUT.
ALTHOUGH DESIGNERS MAKE USE
OF DIGITAL DESIGN TOOLS
TO WORK OUT THEIR IDEAS,
IN THE END, THEY RELY ON
TRADITIONAL MATERIAL -- CLAY.
A FULL-SCALE CLAY MODEL
OF A CAR PROVIDES AN OBJEC
THE DESIGNERS CAN VIEW
IN THE REAL WORLD.
THIS DEMONSTRATION MODEL REVEALS
THE LAYERS OF MATERIAL INVOLVED,
FROM PLYWOOD SUBSTRUCTURE
TO STYROFOAM
TO CLAY TO PAINT.
SOME ELEMENTS OF THE GT SPEED
ARE MADE IN IRELAND
AT AUTOLAUNCH,
A DIVISION OF CANADIAN-BASED
MAGNA INTERNATIONAL.
FLAT SHEETS OF ALUMINUM
CALLED BLANKS
WILL BE TRANSFORMED
INTO FENDERS AND TRUNK LIDS.
EACH SHEET GOES TO AN
ENVIRONMENTALLY CONTROLLED AREA
WHERE IT HANGS SUSPENDED
FROM CLAMPS
THAT MOVE ALONG
AN OVERHEAD RAIL SYSTEM.
A TEAM OF ROBOTS THEN SPRAYS ON
A SPECIAL COATING
THAT PREPARES IT TO ENDURE
THE HEAT OF THE FORMING PROCESS.
THE PROCESS IS CALLED
SUPERPLASTIC FORMING.
THESE GIGANTIC OBJECTS
ARE THE FORMING DIES
MADE FOR THE MOST PAR
FROM CAST IRON AND STEEL.
THESE DIES WERE DEVELOPED
AND ENGINEERED AT MAGNA'S
CANADIAN CORPORATE RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENT FACILITY.
A ROBOTIC ARM USES
VACUUM-POWERED SUCTION CUPS
TO GRASP THE ALUMINUM BLANKS
AND PLACE THEM INSIDE AN OVEN
TWO AT A TIME.
THE OVEN HEATS THE SHEETS
AT A TEMPERATURE
OF NEARLY 1,000 DEGREES
FAHRENHEI
BEFORE TRANSFERRING THEM
TO ONE OF THE FORMING DIES.
BECAUSE IT'S STRONG, RUST-PROOF,
AND LIGHTWEIGHT,
ALUMINUM IS THE PREFERRED METAL
FOR BUILDING HIGH-END CARS.
BUT IT PRESENTS SOME CHALLENGES.
BENT TOO LITTLE,
ALUMINUM SIMPLY SNAPS BACK
TO ITS ORIGINAL SHAPE.
BENT TOO FAR, IT MAY CRACK.
SHAPING THE METAL
INTO THE CURVED AUTO PARTS
REQUIRES CONSIDERABLE INGENUITY.
THE MACHINE INJECTS
PRESSURIZED AIR,
FORCING THE HEATED ALUMINUM
DOWN ONTO THE DIE
TO PRODUCE THE FINISHED SHAPE.
OF COURSE,
IT'S NOT NEARLY THAT SIMPLE.
CERTAIN ELEMENTS, LIKE THE RATE
AT WHICH THE MACHINE
INJECTS AIR PRESSURE
INTO THE TOOL
MUST BE CALCULATED
WITH EXTREME PRECISION.
THE END RESUL
IS A SUPERPLASTIC-FORMED FENDER
PERFECTLY REPLICATING
THE SHAPE DESIGN.
BUT CLEARLY SOME WORK REMAINS
TO BE DONE BEFORE IT'S READY.
AT THIS STAGE, THE OBJEC
IS CALLED A DRAW PANEL.
WORKERS FIT THE PANEL
ONTO WHAT'S CALLED
A TRIMMING FIXTURE.
THEN THEY LEAVE THE AREA,
ALLOWING A SPECIALIZED
ROBOTIC LASER TO GO TO WORK.
FOR SAFETY REASONS,
THE LASER WORKS ALONE
AND NOBODY MAY ENTER
THIS CLOSED AREA
WHILE IT'S OPERATING.
FOLLOWING
PROGRAMMED INSTRUCTIONS,
THE 5-AXIS GANTRY ROBO
TRIMS OFF THE UNNEEDED ALUMINUM
AND CUTS OU
SOME OF THE REQUIRED OPENINGS
WITH INCREDIBLE SPEED
AND ACCURACY.
ONCE THE LASER FINISHES
TRIMMING THE PARTS,
WORKERS PLACE THEM
ON ANOTHER TOOL
FOR A PROCESS CALLED RESTRIKE.
A TECHNICIAN POSITIONS
THE TOP AND BOTTOM LAYERS
OF A TRUNK LID.
THE TOP OF THE FORMING DIE
DESCENDS,
REFORMING CERTAIN EDGE SECTIONS
AND PUNCHING OU
SOME REMAINING HOLES.
THIS PROCESS IS TRADITIONAL
RATHER THAN
SUPERPLASTIC FORMING.
HERE'S A FENDER
BEFORE AND AFTER RESTRIKE.
THE PROCESS ADDS SMALL BU
IMPORTANT DETAILS TO THE PART.
FINALLY THE PARTS HEAD
TO A HAND-FINISHING AREA
WHERE HIGHLY TRAINED,
SKILLED CRAFTSMEN
APPLY THE FINISHING TOUCHES.
AS THEY FINESSE THE PARTS,
THEY ALSO PERFORM THOROUGH
QUALITY-CONTROL INSPECTIONS.
ONCE THE BODY OF THE GT SPEED
HAS BEEN BUILT,
IT NEEDS A PAINT JOB.
SOPHISTICATED ROBOTS
DO MOST OF THE WORK,
HITTING NOT JUS
THE LARGE SURFACES,
BUT ALSO HARD-TO-REACH AREAS.
THE SPEED GETS FIVE COATS,
INCLUDING
A CHEMICAL PRE-TREATMENT,
AN ELECTRIC COATING
FOR CORROSION PROTECTION,
A PRIMER,
A BASE COAT FOR COLOR,
AND A FINAL
SCRATCH-RESISTANT CLEAR COAT.
IN BETWEEN COATS,
THE CAR BAKES
IN AN ENORMOUS OVEN
TO CURE THE PAINT.
IN ALL, IT TAKES 110 HOURS
TO FULLY PAINT A GT SPEED.
Narrator: THESE DAYS, IT'S RARE
TO SEE REAL WOOD IN A CAR.
HIGHLIGHTING THE LAVISH INTERIOR
OF THE BENTLEY
CONTINENTAL GT SPEED
IS A FEATURE CALLED
THE ENTERTAINMENT PANEL
THE COMPONENTS ARE FRAMED
BY A HAND-CRAFTED,
HIGHLY POLISHED WOOD VENEER.
BENTLEY OFFERS
10 DIFFERENT VENEERS.
THEY COME IN BUNDLES
OF 24 LEAVES,
SHAVED FROM A SINGLE PIECE
OF WOOD.
THE VENEERS IN A GIVEN BENTLEY
ALWAYS COME
FROM THE SAME BUNDLE.
A WORKER CAREFULLY FLICKS
THE LEAVES FROM A BUNDLE,
USING THE SWIRLING KNOT PATTERN
TO ALIGN THEM PERFECTLY.
ONCE THEY'RE ALIGNED,
HE'LL CHOP A TINY BIT OFF
THE ENDS TO GET A CLEAN EDGE.
THIS STEP IS NECESSARY
TO PREPARE THE VENEERS
FOR THE NEXT PHASE
IN THE PROCESS.
THIS CRAFTSMAN
OPENS A SET OF LEAVES
SO THAT THEY PRESEN
A MIRROR IMAGE OF EACH OTHER.
HE THEN STICKS ON
A PIECE OF TAPE
TO TEMPORARILY HOLD THEM
IN PLACE
BEFORE BRINGING THEM
TO THE STITCHING MACHINE.
THIS DEVICE USES A ZIGZAG STITCH
OF ADHESIVE, NOT THREAD,
TO HOLD THE TWO LEAVES OF VENEER
TOGETHER.
IT QUICKLY DEPOSITS
A THIN BEAD OF HOT GLUE
IN A REPEATING PATTERN.
THE CRAFTSMAN PUTS THE VENEER
THROUGH TWICE
TO ENSURE A SECURE JOINT.
THIS GLUE STITCH
PREPARES THE TWO LEAVES
FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF PRODUCTION
AND IT NOT MEANT TO HOLD THEM
TOGETHER PERMANENTLY.
A TECHNICIAN PLACES
A SET OF VENEERS
ON THE BED
OF A LASER CUTTING DEVICE.
THE BED HAS A VACUUM FEATURE
WHICH SUCKS THE LEAVES DOWN,
HOLDING THEM IN PLACE.
THE DEVICE,
WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY
A CNC MACHINE
EQUIPPED WITH A LASER,
GOES TO WORK CUTTING OU
A SERIES OF SHAPES.
IT FOLLOWS INSTRUCTIONS
SUPPLIED BY COMPUTER-ASSISTED
DESIGN SOFTWARE.
THIS WORK WAS ONCE DONE
WITH STAMPING TOOLS,
BUT MANUFACTURERS
SWITCHED TO A LASER
DUE TO THE REPEATABLE PRECISION
OF ITS PERFORMANCE.
THE VENEER IS LESS THAN
A MILLIMETER THICK.
THE LASER'S ABILITY
TO CUT THE ULTRA-THIN WOOD
WITHOUT CRACKING I
IS ANOTHER ADVANTAGE.
THIS CRAFTSMAN ASSEMBLES A KIT.
THE KIT INCLUDES
THE DECORATIVE VENEER
LAYERED WITH A THIN SHEE
OF GLUE,
THEN A VENEER OF PINK TULIPWOOD
AND ANOTHER LAYER OF GLUE,
FOLLOWED BY A SECOND VENEER
OF TULIPWOOD.
HE THEN PLACES THE KI
ON AN ALUMINUM SUBSTRATE.
HE PLACES THE ASSEMBLED KIT ONTO
A MACHINE CALLED A DIE PRESS.
ONCE ALL THE KITS
ARE IN POSITION,
A SAFETY SCREEN DESCENDS,
FOLLOWED BY THE TOP HALF
OF THE DIE PRESS.
THE PRESS EXERTS
MORE THAN 120 POUNDS OF PRESSURE
WHILE COOKING THE KI
AT OVER 250 DEGREES FAHRENHEI
FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THE WORKER GIVES
THE RESULTING LAMINATE
A THOROUGH
QUALITY-CONTROL INSPECTION
BEFORE IT CAN BE MOVED ON
TO THE NEXT PHASE.
AFTER A SANDING,
THE PART BEGINS A 1½-HOUR,
5-LAYER LACQUERING PROCESS.
IT TAKES 72 HOURS
FOR THE LACQUER JOB
TO CURE COMPLETELY.
USING AN ORBITAL SANDER,
A CRAFTSMAN WORKS TO COMPLETELY
SMOOTH OUT THE SURFACE.
HE FINISHES THE JOB BY HAND,
WHICH ALLOWS HIM
TO SAND THE BEVELED OPENINGS.
THOROUGHLY INSPECTING
EVERY INCH OF THE WOOD,
HE ENSURES THAT IT'S READY
FOR THE NEXT STEP.
HE THEN USES
A SOFT-MOP POLISHING WHEEL
TO APPLY FINISHING WAX,
GIVING THE VENEER
A BURNISHED SHEEN.
EVERY GT SPEED
IS BUILT TO ORDER,
AND EACH VENEER PANEL
HAS BEEN CUSTOMIZED TO MEE
THE SPECIFICATIONS DESIRED
BY THE CAR'S FUTURE OWNER.
BENTLEY UPHOLSTERS
THE COMPLETE INTERIOR
OF THE GT SPEED IN LEATHER.
INSPECTORS EXAMINE A BULL HIDE
AND MARK IT ACCORDINGLY.
THEY SCAN THE HIDE.
GREEN MARKS
ARE FOR FLAWS MINOR ENOUGH
THAT THE LEATHER
CAN STILL BE USED
ON UNSEEN SECTIONS
OF UPHOLSTERY.
ORANGE MARKS
ARE FOR UNUSABLE PARTS.
A CNC CUTTING MACHINE
SCORES OUT THE PIECES.
WORKERS REMOVE THE CUT LEATHER
AND SPRAY I
WITH A SOAPY SOLUTION
TO REMOVE THE CRAYON MARKS.
NEXT, THEY'LL TRANSFER
THE PIECES
TO A PERSON CALLED A BUNDLER
WHO SORTS THE LEATHER
FOR DELIVERY TO THE NEXT PHASE.
HERE, SKILLED LEATHERWORKERS
APPLY THEIR TRADE.
THERE ARE SEVEN DIFFERENT ZONES
OF LEATHERWORK.
AS AN EXAMPLE OF BENTLEY'S
ATTENTION TO DETAIL,
THE COMPANY CHOOSES TO UPHOLSTER
THE GT SPEED STEERING WHEEL
WITH A SINGLE PIECE OF LEATHER.
THIS MEANS A CRAFTSMAN
HAS TO CREATE A PERFECT FI
BETWEEN THE MATERIAL
AND THE WHEEL.
FIRST, HE BRUSHES ON
A SPECIAL GLUE.
THEN, WORKING WITH GREAT CARE,
HE STRETCHES THE LEATHER
INTO PLACE.
OF COURSE,
THE GLUE IS NOT ENOUGH
TO HOLD THE LEATHER
FIRMLY IN POSITION.
EACH STEERING WHEEL MUST BE
FLAWLESSLY HAND STITCHED.
THE LEATHERWORKERS PUNCH A SE
OF NEEDLE-SIZED HOLES
ALONG EITHER SIDE OF THE SEAM
USING A TOOL MADE
AT THIS FACILITY.
THE CRAFTSWOMAN
THEN CLOSES THE SEAM
USING A STURDY CROSS STITCH.
THE WHEEL ONLY REPRESENTS
A TINY PORTION
OF THE LEATHERWORK DONE HERE.
IT TAKES 12 BULL HIDES
TO UPHOLSTER A SINGLE GT SPEED.
THE STEERING WHEEL,
LIKE THE REST OF THE GT SPEED,
IS BESPOKE,
MEANING IT'S CUSTOM-MADE.
CUSTOMERS CAN CHOOSE
FROM A WIDE RANGE
OF COLORS AND PATTERNS
WHEN PLACING THEIR ORDER.
Narrator:
THE CONTINENTAL GT SPEED
IS MORE THAN
A SUMPTUOUS LEATHER INTERIOR
AND STATE-OF-THE-AR
ALUMINUM BODY PARTS.
THE SPEED PART COMES HERE
WITH THE POWER TRAIN,
WHICH CAN WIND THE COUPE
UP TO 205 MILES PER HOUR.
THE BENTLEY MOTORS FACILITY
IN CREWE, ENGLAND,
STARTED DURING WORLD WAR II
AS A SECRET SHADOW FACTORY
MADE TO BUILD AIRPLANE ENGINES
FOR THE WAR EFFORT.
HERE, THE ROLLS-ROYCE COMPANY
MANUFACTURED
ITS LEGENDARY MERLIN ENGINE,
WHICH POWERED
THE FAMOUS SUPERMARINE SPITFIRES
AND HAWKER HURRICANES
THAT WON THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN.
ALSO ON DISPLAY IS A MODEL
OF BENTLEY'S W12 ENGINE
WHICH RUNS THE GT SPEED.
WITH 12 CYLINDERS FIRING,
THE TWIN TURBOCHARGED ENGINE
CAN ACCELERATE THE CAR
FROM 0 TO 60 MILES PER HOUR
IN JUST 4.4 SECONDS
AND FROM 0 TO 100
IN UNDER 10 SECONDS.
A TECHNICIAN COATS A CRANKSHAF
WITH ENGINE OIL
WHILE ANOTHER SUPPLIES HIMSELF
WITH A PISTON.
NEXT, THEY ALIGN THE CRANKSHAF
BEFORE INSTALLING THE PISTON.
GUIDE RODS
ON THE END OF THE PISTONS
PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE CASING
AS THEY PULL THEM THROUGH.
THE CASING IS ONLY 5 MICRONS
LARGER THAN THE PISTON ITSELF.
ONCE INSTALLED, THEY BOL
THE PISTON ONTO THE SHAFT.
ONCE AGAIN,
THEY ALIGN THE CRANKSHAF
TO PREPARE FOR THE NEXT PHASE
OF INSTALLATION.
THEY'VE PLACED A CLEAR COVER
OVER THE INSTALLED PISTONS
TO ENSURE NO DUS
OR OTHER CONTAMINANTS GET IN.
SINCE IT'S A W12 ENGINE,
THERE ARE 12 PISTONS IN TOTAL
THAT HAVE TO GO IN.
THE "W" IN THE W12 NAME
REFERS TO
THE STAGGERED "W" ARRANGEMEN
OF THE CYLINDERS.
UNLIKE STRAIGHT, FLAT,
OR "V" CONFIGURATIONS,
THIS ARRANGEMENT ALLOWS
FOR A VERY COMPACT ENGINE
DESPITE THE NUMBER OF CYLINDERS.
THE RESUL
IS A 48-VALVE POWERHOUSE
WITH 616 HORSEPOWER
AND A PEAK TORQUE
OF 590 POUND-FEE
ABOVE 2,000 RPMs.
TOP SPEED -- 205 MILES PER HOUR.
ONCE THEY'VE BUILT THEM,
TECHNICIANS TRANSFER EACH ENGINE
TO AN AREA CALLED
THE HOT TEST FACILITY.
HERE, THEY FIRE IT UP
AND RUN IT FOR A TOTAL
OF 21 MINUTES
TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO LEAKS
AND THAT THE ENGINE IS WORKING
AS IT SHOULD.
PIPES BLOW AIR AT THE ENGINE
TO COOL I
AS MONITORING EQUIPMEN
MAKES SURE
ALL PARAMETERS ARE MET.
THE TURBOCHARGER GETS SO HO
THAT WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT,
IT GLOWS IN THE DARK.
EVEN THE EXHAUST PIPE
BURNS RED-HOT.
TECHNICIANS NOW BRING THE ENGINE
TO AN AREA CALLED
THE MAIN BUILD HALL.
THEY LOWER IT ONTO A TOOL
CALLED A STUFF-UP TABLE.
IT ALREADY HAS ITS GEARBOX,
STEERING ARMS,
FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS,
FRONT EXHAUST SECTION,
AND TRANSMISSION.
NEXT, THE WORKERS ATTACH
THE REAR END
OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM,
WHICH FLARES OU
INTO DUAL TAILPIPES
IN TRUE SPORTS CAR FASHION.
A TECHNICIAN USES
A COUNTERBALANCED WRENCH
TO FASTEN THE BOLTS.
THE TORQUE REQUIRED
FOR EACH BOL
HAS BEEN PRE-CALCULATED.
NOW, THE WORKERS BRING IN
THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS.
THEY THEN INSTALL
THE PROP SHAFT.
THE ENTIRE POWER TRAIN
OF THE GT SPEED
IS COMING TOGETHER.
THANKS TO CAREFUL ENGINEERING
OF THE CLOSE-RATIO TRANSMISSION
AND AN ENERGY RECUPERATION
SYSTEM
BUILT INTO THE ENGINE,
THE CAR'S FUEL ECONOMY
AND CO2 EMISSIONS
HAVE IMPROVED 15%
OVER THE FIRST GENERATION'S
SPEED.
WITH THE POWER TRAIN
FULLY ASSEMBLED,
IT'S NOW TIME TO BRING THE RES
OF THE CAR UP TO GT SPEED.
Narrator:
THE GT SPEED'S TURBOCHARGED
POWER TRAIN HAS BEEN BUILT.
ITS BODY HAS BEEN MANUFACTURED,
ASSEMBLED, AND PAINTED,
AND ITS PLUSH LEATHER INTERIOR
FULLY UPHOLSTERED.
IT'S NOW TIME
TO BRING EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
TECHNICIANS NOW INSTALL
THE CAR'S EXTENSIVE WIRING.
WIRES CAN BE STIFF
AND HARD TO HANDLE.
TO MAKE THESE BIG BUNDLES
PLIABLE,
MANUFACTURERS FIRST HEAT THEM.
ONCE THE TECHNICIANS
FINISH INSTALLING THEM,
THE CABLES WILL COOL
AND HARDEN IN PLACE.
EACH CAR HAS NEARLY 8 MILES
OF WIRING RUNNING THROUGH IT.
USING A SPECIALLY DESIGNED LIFT,
WORKERS INSTALL THE
LEATHER-UPHOLSTERED DASHBOARD.
LIKE THE REST OF THE CAR,
THE DASH IS BUILT TO ORDER.
HERE WE CAN SEE
THE TWO-TONED COLOR SCHEME
CHOSEN BY ITS FUTURE OWNER.
TECHNICIANS NOW BRING
THE POWER TRAIN
AND THE BODY TOGETHER.
MANUFACTURERS HAVE A ROMANTIC
NAME FOR THIS DRAMATIC MOMEN
WHEN THE TWO MAIN ELEMENTS
ARE FUSED.
THEY CALL IT THE MARRIAGE.
IT'S AT THIS POIN
THE CAR REALLY BECOMES A CAR.
THE TECHNICIANS WILL USE
32 CAREFULLY PLACED
AND PERFECTLY TORQUED BOLTS
TO SECURE EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
ALTHOUGH THEY PERFORM
THIS OPERATION MANUALLY,
A COMPUTER MONITORS THEIR WORK,
ENSURING
THEY DON'T MISS ANYTHING.
NEXT, WORKERS BEGIN
FILLING THE CAR
WITH GAS, ENGINE OIL,
BRAKE FLUID,
TRANSMISSION FLUID,
ANTIFREEZE,
AND ALL THE INGREDIENTS
IT NEEDS TO RUN.
THANKS IN PART TO THE GT SPEED'S
ENERGY RECUPERATION SYSTEM,
IT CAN GO 60 MILES
ON 3.8 GALLONS OF GAS.
RECUPERATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGES
THE CAR'S USE OF ELECTRICITY
TO MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCY,
REDUCING EMISSIONS
WHILE INCREASING
THE CAR'S RANGE.
THE FRONT WINGS NOW GO ON,
FOLLOWED BY THE GRILLE.
THAT DISTINCTIVE GRILLE,
THE ROUND HEADLIGHTS,
AND CURVED WINGS
ARE ALL PAR
OF THE SIGNATURE BENTLEY LOOK
THAT DATES BACK
NEARLY A CENTURY.
THEY ARE SUBTLE DESIGN TRIBUTES
TO THE SPEED'S ANCESTRY.
THESE 20-INCH, 10-SPOKE
ALLOY WHEELS
ARE MADE EXCLUSIVELY
FOR THE GT SPEED.
THE CAR FEATURES
PERMANENT ALL-WHEEL DRIVE.
THE DIFFERENTIAL DISTRIBUTES
60% OF THE TORQUE
TO THE REAL WHEELS
AND 40% TO THE FRONT,
HELPING KEEP THE VEHICLE
IN POSITION WHEN CORNERING.
THE WHEELS
CAN COME TO A FAST STOP
THANKS TO
THE 16-INCH-DIAMETER FRON
AND 13-INCH, REAR-VENTILATED
CAST-IRON BRAKE DISCS.
WORKING ON THE CONVERTIBLE MODEL
OF THE GT SPEED,
TECHNICIANS BRING THE WINDSHIELD
TO ITS FRAME
AND MANUALLY INSTALL IT,
TAMPING IT IN PLACE SECURELY.
NEXT, THEY USE A HYDRAULIC LIF
TO HELP ATTACH THIS COMPONEN
CALLED A TONNEAU.
THE TONNEAU
IS A SPECIALLY DESIGNED PANEL
WHICH COVERS
THE CONVERTIBLE ROOF
WHEN IT'S RETRACTED.
A TECHNICIAN INSTALLS
THE HAND-STITCHED,
LEATHER-UPHOLSTERED
STEERING WHEEL.
A SECOND WORKER
THEN MOUNTS THE CENTRAL PANEL,
WHICH BEARS THE FAMOUS
BENTLEY WINGED "B" LOGO.
THEY CLOSE THE HOOD,
CHECKING TO MAKE SURE
THE FIT IS PERFECT.
THE GT SPEED IS FULLY ASSEMBLED.
THIS HIGH-TECH FACILITY
APPEARS ULTRAMODERN
AND SHOWS LITTLE SIGN
OF ITS DRAMATIC HISTORY.
BUT A MEMORIAL REMINDS US
THAT WORKERS
BUILDING AIR FORCE ENGINES
DIED HERE DURING A WORLD WAR II
BOMBING RAID.
TODAY'S CRAFTSMEN CONTINUE
THE PROUD
MANUFACTURING TRADITION
BEGUN HERE
MORE THAN 70 YEARS AGO.
EACH FINISHED GT SPEED
IS CAREFULLY DRIVEN
OFF THE LINE,
READY FOR DELIVERY
TO ITS NEW OWNER.
BENTLEY MOTORS
HAS A SPECIALLY APPOINTED AREA
IT CALLS THE LIVING ROOM.
HERE, CUSTOMERS MAY COME,
RELAX ON THE PLUSH FURNISHINGS,
AND BROWSE THE LITERATURE.
UNDER THE BENEVOLENT GAZE
OF W.O. BENTLEY,
THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT THE COMPANY
AND CHOOSE THE SPECIFICATIONS
THEY REQUIRE.
BENTLEY CONSIDERS
THE CONTINENTAL GT SPEED
TO BE ITS NEW FLAGSHIP MODEL.
INSPIRED BY
THE RENOWNED PERFORMANCE
OF THE OLD SPEED SIXES
AT THE 24-HOUR LE MANS RACE
IN THE 1930s,
THIS CARE IS MADE
FOR HIGH VELOCITY.
IN FACT, TOPPING OU
AT 202 MILES PER HOUR,
THE DROP-TOP VERSION
IS CURRENTLY THE FASTES
4-SEAT CONVERTIBLE IN THE WORLD
AND THE COUPE MODEL
IS EVEN FASTER.
[ ENGINE REVS ]
Narrator:
EVERY SQUARE INCH OF THE CAR
IS OPULENT,
FROM THE BESPOKE
LEATHER UPHOLSTERY
TO THE WOOD VENEERS
AND THE AEROSPACE-GRADE
ALUMINUM FENDERS.
IN THE EARLY DAYS OF BENTLEY,
THE CARS DEVELOPED
A FAN FOLLOWING
AMONGST A GROUP
OF WEALTHY BRITISH MOTORISTS
WHO BECAME KNOWN
AS THE BENTLEY BOYS.
PERHAPS THE REBIRTH
OF THE LEGENDARY SPEED
WILL INSPIRE
A NEW GENERATION OF FANS.