The “winged B” that is Bentley represents a no compromise attitude to luxury and excess. With the release of the brand new Continental GT, the Bentley poster boy was always going to receive nothing less than ultimate luxury and anyone could have predicted that. But what about in the other departments? How is Bentley planning to amaze us there?
Well, the new Bentley Continental has learnt a lot from it’s study buddy Porsche, and has gone so much as to even adopt the new Porsche Panamera’s chassis. The result of this is a sleeker car with a lengthened wheelbase. The nose is now lower than before and makes the front of the car look less imposing than the outgoing model. Bentley was able to lengthen the wheelbase by 135mm by moving the front wheels forward and the byproduct of this is improved rear legroom and headroom. The aluminium chassis benefits from some weight saving and tips the scales at an impressive 80 kg lighter than the old model.
Under the sharply creased aluminium bonnet, you’ll find a 6.0 litre twin-turbocharged W12 behemoth that develops 467 kW and 900N.m of torque, and now sits further back for improved weight distribution. The good news is that this excessive power is spread among the four wheels of the car with Bentley’s part-time all-wheel drive system being able to send power to the front wheels when it detects slip from the rear – otherwise, it’s 100% rear wheel drive. The 12-cylinder engine features cylinder deactivation which will shut down half of the engines cylinder (effectively making it a straight 6 engine) in attempts of improving fuel efficiency and reducing it’s impact on the environment. As a result, the new engine is 20% more fuel efficient and 16% less harmful to polar bears. The new launch control function should ensure that the 0 -100 km/h sprint is dealt with in 3.7 seconds while the top speed sits at 333 km/h. Power goes the wheels via the notoriously good ZF 8-speed automatic which is now a dual-clutch gearbox as Bentley have done away with the torque converter mechanism.
The Bentley Continental is not notorious for its dynamic prowess (even with the hardcore Supersports) but the new model arrives with an array of components that aid in altering that stereotype. The most radical of these components is a 48-volt electrical system that works on the anti-roll bars in corners to make the Continental corner with seemingly no body roll – it’s an eerie sight to witness initially. This system also aids in improving ride comfort, stability and responsiveness. The new air suspension features 3 chamber air springs and continuously variable dampers.
Despite all the attempts at making the Continental a “sportier” car, there is absolutely no denying the fact that the interior is where it matters most. Inside the two door Bentley, you’ll find a new and cleaner dashboard with a 12.3-inch “retina quality” touchscreen infotainment display. This display has the ability to show one of three different sides at a time – it shaped like a Toblerone and is operated by two electric motors. The first screen displays navigation information. The second will display auxiliary performance gauges, while the third face will reveal some wood veneer. The instrument cluster is now purely digital and a 2200 watt Naim audio system will fill the cabin with beautiful sounds once you’ve grown tired of the 12-cylinder soundtrack – shame on you if you do!
The new Bentley Continental GT will make its world debut at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, but expect it to go on sale in the first quarter of 2018, or you can place your order now and test your patience. Also, the V8 and hybrid models will follow soon once the W12 fully breaks cover.
