Bentley has been busy working on high-performance Speed variants of the Continental GT and Continental GT Convertible, which boast improved performance and numerous handling enhancements. Both come powered by Bentley's 6.0-liter turbocharged W12 engine with an increased output of 650 hp, up from 626 hp in the standard Continental GT.

Bentley's new Flying Spur hasn't been given the Speed treatment yet, but the standard model is certainly no slouch in the performance department, as this video of the Flying Spur V8 going for a top-speed run on the German autobahn shows.

Billed as a more driver-focused version of Bentley's flagship sedan, the Flying Spur V8 is powered by a 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 producing 542 hp and 568 lb-ft of torque. While it has less power than its W12 sibling, it's dropped 200 pounds thanks to the lighter engine, making it more agile and more satisfying to drive. On an unrestricted section of the autobahn, the Flying Spur V8 shows what it can do. In the video, the driver pushes the grand tourer to 174 mph.

This is undeniably impressive for a large luxury car that weighs over 5,000 pounds and is frighteningly fast on a public highway. Yet, it still isn't being pushed its full potential. Remarkably, Bentley claims the Flying Spur V8 will hit a top speed of 198 mph.

The car was riding on winter tires during the top speed run, which may have limited the performance and explain why the driver couldn't push any harder. Even so, it takes a lot of skill and bravery to drive a car at over 170 mph on a traffic-filled autobahn. It's no slouch in the acceleration department either.

Earlier this month, we discovered that the V8-powered Flying Spur is faster than Bentley claims. During an acceleration test, the Flying Spur recorded a 0-60 mph time of 3.98 seconds, yet Bentley claims it will do the same sprint in four seconds flat.