Bentley has unveiled their all new Continental GT and it is just absolutely gorgeous. Bentley also revealed everything about their new Grand Tourer which aims to be the king of luxury cars.
The British company based the new Continental GT from their EXP 10 Speed 6 concept and it is clearly evident on how the new car looks. The car has a more sculptural and dynamic shape which makes it altogether look more unique and special.
The company also improved on the proportions of the whole car. The new Continental GT has a longer and lower profile than its predecessor. The positioning of the front axle 135mm further forward allowed for the car to have a longer profile because of the longer hood and lower nose.
Bentley also gave the car a new set of elliptical taillights which reflects the shape of its exhaust tail pipes below them. This gives the new Continental GT a different look because of its surprisingly elegant rear end.
The wheelbase is also now longer by 110mm and the whole car is wider by 25mm. This allows for the car to have a more dynamic design. But what made this design approach possible is because of the new MSB platform that, if you recall, was also used on the Porsche Panamera, which enables the use of latest 48-volt electrical system.
The company however claims that the parts used for making the Continental GT are mostly custom-made. It manages to weigh in at 2,250kg (4,960lbs) making it 85kg (187lbs) lighter than its predecessor. The whole skin of the new Continental GT is of aluminum that’s been crafted from using the Super Formed technology. This allowed the engineers at Bentley to create a more complex and sharply defined body for the new car.
The launch models are powered by an updated version of Bentley’s very own twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12 TSI engine which is paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Note that this is the first time that Bentley has done this kind of pairing. The new Continental GT’s powertrain can produces 635 PS (626 hp) and 900 Nm (664 lb-ft) of torque. This much power propels the new model to accelerate to 100km/h in 3.7 seconds (0-60mph in 3.6 sec) and reach a maximum speed of 333km/h (207mph).
Bentley is also making some bold claims about the dynamics of their new Continental GT which they say was made possible by the adoption of the 48-volt electrical architecture. The new model now features Bentley Dynamic Ride, a system that controls and adjusts the electronic actuators on the anti-roll bar of each axle. This in turn, improves the riding comfort and the handling as well. The car can go into corners while being flat completely flat to the ground by counteracting lateral roll forces, which ensures that the tires are always in contact with the road. And because of the adoption of the 48-volt system, there will be no delays in the Dynamic Ride’s responses. The revised air suspension also features three-chamber air springs , can fill 60 percent more air in the softest setting, which further improves the system’s scope to vary from sporty handling to extreme levels of ride comfort.
Bentley also done a great job for the cabin for the new Continental GT, which is something that is to be expected from them. High quality materials which includes natural leathers, sustainably sourced veneers and hand-polished chrome details can all be found inside the cabin. There is also a good 10 square meters of wood used inside the cabin of each Continental GT, with each of the wooden inlays taking nine hours to be created and fitted by hand.
There is also a fully digital and easy-to-configure instrument panel at the center which is also includes a beautiful 12.3-inch “retina-quality” infotainment display. The huge screen can rotate and bring a veneer panel up front if you want. Bentley also added a third side to the rotating mechanism which features three analogue dials displaying outside temperature, a compass and chronometer.
Production is slated later this year, with the first orders to come out by Spring 2018. There’s no information about the price of the new Continental Gt, but knowing that this is a new model, it is safe to assume that it will be more expensive than its predecessor.
In a statement made by the chairman and chief executive of Bentley, Wolfgang Dürheimer, he said “We are the world leader in luxury mobility and our products and services define new luxury in the automotive world. The new Continental GT encapsulates our desire to innovate as well as celebrate our heritage and take the Bentley ownership experience to the next, unparalleled level.” The new Continental GT will come out ready to become the king of all luxury cars.
