We were never in any danger of reaching what is known in the aeronautical world as ‘rotation speed’, the point at which the nose can be lifted off the runway but, with a rising A-road ahead of us and six litres of twin-turbocharged, 567bhp W12 giving their all, the ‘flying wings’ of the Bentley motif had never felt more appropriate.
This is Bentley’s new Continental GT, a totally revised version of the machine that set the standard for ‘affordable supercars’ in the first ten years of this millennium. Despite its familiar shape and the mighty – though thoroughly worked-over – W12, the latest Conti GT from Crewe is a leaner and tauter car, fully fit for another decade of pre-eminence as a practical, ‘daily driving’, generous 2+2.
And ‘taut’ is a good description of the new car’s bodywork. There are sharper, cleaner edges than before. The Aluminium Super Forming process, whereby alloy sheets are heated to 500°C then shaped by air pressure alone, has allowed Director of Design, Dirk van Braeckel, to sculpt new, long, weld-free panels. The bootlid now carries a sharply shaped spoiler and a taller, ‘flatter’ profile reminiscent of its big-brother Mulsanne.
The grille is more upright, too, and is now flanked by large headlamps, each surrounded by a ring of very de ce jour LED daylight-running lights.
Take in a parked-up, new Continental GT and its lines exude a more sporting air. Which is appropriate, as although this car carries no ‘Speed', let alone ‘Supersports’ appellation, it’s still terrifically quick and utilises many of the previous cars’ final engineering revisions in pursuit of yet more performance and handling brio.
There’s the Quickshift six-speed transmission (thereby enabling double-downchanges), and a FlexFuel (petrol or bio-ethanol) technology engine which now produces 567bhp; bettering the previous car’s output by 15bhp. Torque is now 700Nm at 1700rpm, against 650Nm at 1600rpm.
This, a modicum of weight reduction (65kg) primarily by an all-new ‘Cobra’ seat design, and a now 40:60 rear-biased torque split for the 4WD, makes the 2011 Conti fleeter of foot than before. Its sledgehammer power and torque can now be put to better use and, while many might consider it more GT than out-and-out sportscar, really press on along winding, open roads and you’d be surprised at the level of involvement with which it rewards the enthusiastic driver.
Compared with a low-slung Ferrari or Aston, the driving position is highish; which endows the occupants with a sense of imperiousness (you are paying around £150,000 for a well-optioned example, so why not?).
This makes for a mile-covering motorway mien with few equals. Yet, switch the suspension one notch towards the ‘Sport’ end of the scale, making full use of the steering-wheel paddles, and the car can power from apex to apex with consummate ease. The front end now bites harder than before, and the colossal grip from the now bigger (21in in this example, a £2330 option) alloy wheels and tyres is better than ever.
The track has been widened, front and rear, which further adds a degree of aggression to a 2011 Continental’s stance. Before official launch, the new car had been described to me as “looking more like a Porsche” and, yes, I sort of know where they’re coming from with that one.
It rides, though, in true Bentley fashion: magnificently. The Continuous Damping Control (CDC) monitors and adjusts the suspension settings hundreds of times a second. Whether you are cruising or making up time, on fair roads or foul, the impossibly wide and low-profile 275/35ZR21 tyres effortlessly iron out the bumps – while delivering peerless handling.
Some of the biggest changes have been reserved for the interior. As already mentioned, the new, incredibly comfortable and supportive front seats have been redesigned, losing their in-built seatbelts and, by having further scalloping on their backs, they now give passengers in the rear a little more room. It is a four-seater for all but the most long-legged - just not suitable for really long trips. For children, though, it’s no real problem. And the 385-litre boot will swallow a fair bit of travelling kit, too.
A totally new touchscreen technology eight-inch screen finds its way into the central console of the new Continental GT. While the audio, telephone, ride and comfort settings will look similar to the outgoing model, the satellite navigation now features a full seven-digit postcode search and a 3D screen. With a 30GB in-car hard drive and DVD player providing the data, the clever system does the rest. It’s one of the best out there, with no gimmicks and the easy-on-the-eye, softly lit 3D screen makes navigating unfamiliar territory a pleasure. Well done, Bentley.
Another (£5260, this time) option is the Naim for Bentley Audio System. The hushed environment of a Bentley interior suits a high-end, in-car audio system. With so little noise – apart from the occasional, delicious exhaust-note ‘woofle’ – intruding into the double-glazed cabin, the audiophile will appreciate the Naim set-up all the better.
While the soundtrack of a Ferrari should be growls, howls and crackles, Bentley drivers expect a little more decorum, and if the as-standard eight-speaker system (with wide-frequency 'Balance Mode Radiator' speakers) is good, specifying Naim ensures the very best possible. The ‘Speed’, if you like, of in-car entertainment.
All in all, the new Bentley Continental GT is quite the most complete, high-performance (genuine) 2+2 grand tourer you could wish for. In every respect it exceeds the capabilities of its predecessor and, as a ‘standard’ car, almost equals in performance the old ‘Speed’ model.
It can tour, do the daily commute, even the school run and, yes, on a good day really fly.
The new Bentley Continental GT carries a UK, 'On The Road' price of £135,760.
This example, finished in Thunder, with Saffron main and Brunel secondary hides was fitted with the following extras: Chestnut Veneer (£1195); Deep Pile Overmats (£285); Duo Tone, 3-Spoke, Hide Trimmed Steering Wheel (£315); Massage Seats and Seat Ventilation to Front Seats (£615); Veneer Door and Rear Quarter Inserts (£815); Veneered Case (£410); Naim for Bentley Audio System (£5260); TV Tuner (£850); Convenience Pack (£3100); 21in Seven Spoke ‘Elegant’ Alloy Wheel – Painted (£2330); Space Saving Spare Wheel (£460).
Total: £151,395.
Text: Steve Wakefield
Photos: Classic Driver
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