The New Bentley Continental GT is not just for a Grand Tour
The new Bentley Continental GT offers an impeccably smooth drive and refined comfort, with just a dash of sportiness of a Grand Tourer.
The launch of the new Bentley Continental GT is not freshĀ news, itĀ was supposed to be launched six months earlier.
After an extra longĀ model cycle of its predecessor, the new Bentley Continental GT has a high performance and refinement targets to match up to its competitors, especially on the technology edge – that it has certainly lived up to.
Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark says the company was not satisfied evenĀ with the PDK gearbox, so the official launch wasĀ delayed in favour of obtaining supremely smoothĀ shifts.Ā With so much detail and attention given toĀ this launch, it certainly conveys Bentley’s commitments to perfect this continental model.
Bentley encapsulatesĀ quite a contradiction of ideals – it represents aĀ paragon of tradition but also aĀ crude signifier of wealth. The 99 years of heritage has to be balanced precariously with the increasing fascination with automotive one-upmanship in the industry, whileĀ the parent company triesĀ to commit to innovation but remains adverse toĀ experimentation.
Bearing the famous winged āBā, the first Continental GT was released in 2003Ā before anĀ overhaul in 2011. Its striking, big, thoughĀ slightlyĀ brutish body was looselyĀ inspired by the legendary 1950s R-Type, clearly created for the mass-market. Ā Over 65,000 GTs have been sold since its introduction, standing out asĀ the most successful model of Bentley. FromĀ the design studio to details under the bonnet, the Continental has beenĀ sought after by enthusiasts.
While the concept remains close to that ofĀ 66 years ago, there are nobleĀ upgrades that reflects the greatĀ technological progression of this two thirds of a century –Ā fast, powerful and comfortable on the road. The chassis and suspension are well harmonised that there areĀ no bump, groove or hole this car can’t iron out.
The algorithmically controlled, pressurised air that it sits on also eliminates any roll on the tight, fast curves of a grand tour. Speed wise,Ā Bentley claims a maximumĀ of 207 mph for the GT, and a 0 to 60 of around 3.6 seconds. While the throttle response is not the sharpest, the overall driving experience is still a delightful and well-balanced one.
The Bentley Continental GT features endless and immediate accessible reserves of power in any gear or engine range. If you’re feeling impatient, the huge and responsive engine can propelĀ forward with almost Tesla-esque levels of power and torque that’s available from a 1,350RPM. There’re even aĀ dozen of buttons, knobs and dials offeringĀ massage options to work out a knot. While not the best on the market yet, theĀ BentleyĀ software also includes a smart satellite navigation that will smoothlyĀ cosset you through half a dozen European countries.
Bentley has taken meticulous care down to the smallest details that make a driving experience, such asĀ the banging 16-speaker sound system with its very intuitive Bang & Olufsen touchscreen-based equaliser. You can optĀ forĀ analogue and distraction-free dials with a simple click of a button, and the head-up display and driver’s screen dims upon entering a tunnel. It’s really really hard to think of a better car to take on long journeys around Europe.
On windier roads, however, the Bentley Continental GT suffer from its heavy weight,Ā despite its weight loss of a goodĀ 80kg. TheĀ “sport” mode does help byĀ tightening the suspension and automatic gear shifts thanks to the CEO’s extra thoughtfulness, but it pales toĀ more sport-focused models like the Aston Martin DB11 on aĀ twisty mountain tour.
All in all, the new Bentley Continental GT is a fine automobileĀ that offers smooth and refined comfort for an impeccable drive, with just a dash of sportiness of a Grand Tourer.
For a reasonable price of Ā£159,100, the new BentleyĀ Continental GT now available for retail.