Bentley Continental GT

Continental GT Review

Bentley has been in the global car market for a long time. The amazing R-Type Continental came up in 1950's and the Continental GT showed up later in the 21st century. The Bentley Continental GT is a perfect amalgamation of modern design and advanced technology. This car is a revolution in its own. The car is an ideal example of Bentley’s skilled engineers that make the car an ultimate tourer. The low-sprung and wide appearance make the coupe appear to be much more attractive and a true mean machine. The superior suspension along with intelligent continuous damping control makes the ride and handling of the car very smooth and impressive. The Bentley Continental GT is an all-wheel drive and features a powerful and dynamic 12-cylinder engine that generates ample amounts of power and a respectable amount of torque, making it a perfect drive in any weather or road condition. The engine has been coupled with an 8-speed QuickShift transmission. The car also features an advanced system, that immediately adjusts the power split between the rear and front wheels depending upon the available grip. Furthermore, it also sports electronic stability control that operates along with the AWD system that assures better driving style for the owner.

Exteriors

The exteriors of Bentley Continental GT are a skillful mixture of heritage and modern style that turns the car into a terrific ride. The Bentley traditional haunch line is crisp and has a sharper radius that creates diverse surfaces providing a wider, longer and a much sportier feel as compared to the 1950's Continental. The designers and Bentley engineers have put their heart and soul into making the car appear to be the one of the most attractive ones in Bentley’s portfolio.  The matrix radiator grille provides a sporty feel, while the headlights have a unique shape, adding some bling to the car. The rear comes with wraparound tail lights with LED lamps. The positioning of the rear tail lights is very smart and distinguished.  The boot lid adorns the strong ‘double horse shoe’ motif, which is present in all new flagship of Bentley Milsanne. The elliptical exhaust tail pipes make the car design sportier and eye-catching.

Interiors

Talking about the interiors, Bentley Continental GT has been blessed with some high-class materials that have been used to make the cabin appear very superior and deluxe. Soft-touch leather is used to upholster the seats, while the lavish wood veneers, cool-touch metals and deep-pile carpets complement each other well. Attention is paid to every little detail of the car. The company has applied a UV stabiliser to the veneers to protect them from bleaching. The metal surfaces in the car interiors are either chrome or high-quality stainless steel, which means quality has been maintained throughout the interiors. The stitches on the leather are utterly fine and enhance the interior surface. The brilliant interior styling lines enhance the overall appearance of the interior cabin. On the whole, the interiors of this car model are perfect and up-to-the mark.

Engine

Bentley Continental GT is powered by a 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 configuration engine. This engine is capable of producing an output of 567bhp at the rate of 6000 rpm along with generating 700Nm of maximum torque at the rate of 1700 rpm. The engine has been coupled with an 8-speed ZF transmission with steering column mounted gearshift paddles . This combination makes the performance of the car top class. The car has 314 kmph of top speed and retains the capacity to head to the 0-100 kmph speed mark in just 4.7 seconds . On the other hand, the mileage delivered by the car is only decent and not all that disappointing. This all wheel drive delivers 10.4 kmpl of mileage , which is pretty impressive.

Braking and Handling

The braking and handling of Bentley Continental GT is exquisite. The company has taken care on this front as well and provided the car with world class brakes. The brake system here has ESP (Electronic Stability Programme), ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System), EBD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution System) , MSR (Drag Torque Control), HBA (Hydraulic Brake Assistance) and aquaplane detection. The vented iron for the front and rear disc brakes along with brake calipers in glossy black finish make the brake system not only stronger and better but great looking as well. The electronic parking brake with drive away assist is perfect as well. The handling of Bentley Continental GT is as perfect as its braking system. The superior suspension system does its job very well. The front axle comprise of four link double wishbones, computer controlled self-leveling air suspension with anti-roll bar, while the rear axle comes with trapezoidal multi-link, computer controlled self-leveling air suspension with anti-roll bar. The car also has air springs with continuous damping control along with a speed sensitive power steering wheel that makes the handling of Continental GT smooth and downy.

Comfort Features

The comfort in Bentley Continental GT is idyllic. The cabin has been designed ergonomically making the comfort level go up a notch. The slim design of power adjustable front seats is accompanied with heating, lumbar, nose extension and memory functions. For driver’s comfort, his seat has 14-way adjustment and memory including lumbar and nose extension. The short centre console with twin front armrests and rear ski hatch is also impressive.  The multi-zone automatic air conditioning is ideal with perfectly positioned air vents. On the infotainment front, the car has 8 inches of high resolution touch screen display with HDD navigation, AM/FM radio, DVD/CD player, HVAC control and more .

Safety Features

Bentley Continental GT is a very safe car for the passengers. The company has kept in mind the safety of the occupants as well as the car. The body frame of the car is extremely strong, while on the inside, this model has been equipped with advanced safety features. Some of the major highlights here comprise of the Bentley GPS tracking system provision, volumetric ultrasonic alarm, park distance control with graphic-on infotainment screen and audible warning, airbags, seat belts for all, fog lamps and more.

Pros 

Superior appearance, high class interiors, superb acceleration and pickup

Cons  

Extremely expensive