BENTLEY is about to raise the bar in the money’s-no-object, luxury supercar car sector with an all new version of the car which first launched the company’s revival, the Continental GT Coupe.
It used to be all about traditional hand-built British craftsmanship, but now, under Volkswagen ownership it’s as much about high technology and advanced engineering for the famed British marque.
The original Continental GT introduced in 2003 represented the first step in Bentley’s renaissance and defined a whole new market segment. It was a luxury GT offering excellent usability that remained true to the Bentley grand touring spirit.
Now, with the new model, Bentley claims to have taken things a step further with even higher standards of design, engineering, luxury, craftsmanship, dynamic performance, everyday practicality and refinement.
The new, more sculpted bodywork is manufactured using advanced production techniques such as aluminium super forming for the front wings and boot lid while high-tech solutions have also been brought to bear under the bonnet and within the car’s luxurious interior.
The new touchscreen infotainment system features state-of-the-art navigation, Google Maps and entertainment while the latest Balanced Mode Radiator speaker technology and Dirac Dimensions digital sound processing deliver enhanced audio quality.
Bentley’s acclaimed six-litre, 12-cylinder, twin-turbocharged powertrain now has a raised power output of 575PS (567bhp/423kW) and 700Nm (516lb ft) of torque and this is mated to a new Quickshift transmission which enables double downshifts.
The new Continental GT will rocket from rest to 60mph in four seconds flat and on to 100mph in little more than ten seconds. Theoretical top speed is a mind-blowing 198mph.
Thanks to advanced FlexFuel technology it can also run on both standard unleaded petrol (gasoline) and sustainable bioethanol (up to E85) or any mix of the two.
Late next year an all-new, high-output eight-cylinder engine will also be available to order. This advanced power unit will deliver a 40 percent reduction in emissions compared with the W12 engine and will offer a class-leading CO2 emissions-to-power ratio.
Both engines are coupled to an all-wheel drive system with a sporty 40:60 rear-torque bias compared with the 50:50 bias of the original Continental GT.
The new car may be a technological tour-de-force, but it remains true to the Bentley tradition with its interior entirely hand-crafted in Bentley’s workshops at the factory in Crewe, Cheshire. The cabin is trimmed with soft-touch leathers, a full range of wood veneers, cool-touch metals and deep-pile carpets and equipped with every imaginable luxury.
Says the company’s engineering chief, Dr. Ulrich Eichhorn: “We’ve distilled nearly 90 years of engineering excellence into the new Continental GT coupe. It represents everything Bentley stands for: breathtaking performance, beautiful design and unparalleled quality, comfort and luxury.”