Bentley Continental GT
FIRST DRIVE Luxury coupé isn’t just the best of British, it’s one of the world’s finest cars
Our verdict on luxury coupé. Does it set a new benchmark?
WE first drove the all-new Bentley Continental GT in Wales late last year (Issue 1,480). But despite the rave reviews, the pre-production model we tried wasn’t quite ready.
Now we’ve finally been given the keys to the car you’ll soon see in showrooms. We’re told certain aspects have been refined – and the result is what Bentley claims is the “best GT car in the world”.
Even though the new arrival shares much with the latest Porsche Panamera, Bentley’s experienced engineers reiterate that almost every part has been honed to suit the British bruiser.
The three-chamber air suspension is unique to the GT, for example. In its softest setting this provides 60 per cent more air volume than before and this, along with the 48-volt active anti-roll bars, allows previously unachievable levels of comfort and agility. The brakes are the biggest on any production car: 420mm at the front and 380mm at the rear.
Purpose
The GT is still powered by a 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12. But by moving it back by 150mm, Bentley has made the car feel sharper and better balanced. Bury your right foot and the coupé will rocket forward with unrelenting purpose, demolishing straight roads with ease.
It’ll sprint from 0-60mph in 3.6 seconds and keep accelerating to 207mph. Yet in some instances those figures seem conservative. In fact, the way in which this car builds momentum is quite extraordinary; it’ll comfort and cosset through three-figure speeds without you even noticing.
Part of the reason for this is the GT’S incredible refinement. It feels as quiet as the flagship Mulsanne EWB, while the leather seats are just as luxurious and plush. Go for the bespoke Mulliner spec and the cabin features 310,675 stitches, crafted using 1.7 miles of thread.
That clever air suspension makes the GT not only more comfortable but also sportier. The Bentley is perfectly at home through sweeping bends, its squat stance ensuring impressive body control. The light-but-direct steering allows you to place the car with deft accuracy, and decent forward visibility means you’ll have few issues on tight roads. It bodes well for the V8, which should be lighter and even more fun to drive.
The car isn’t without its faults, though. The dual-clutch gearbox was an area Bentley has worked especially hard to get right since we drove the car in November, yet it still gets caught out when you ask for sudden acceleration. Things improve in manual mode, but it’s still not as clever as we’d like.
Sport mode feels compromised, too. It upsets the ride and doesn’t offer enough in the way of improved response or agility. We left the car in its standard drive setting, occasionally flicking to Comfort on smooth tarmac.
From behind the wheel the new GT is as purposeful and relaxing as you’d hope. Digital dials bring the first-rate cabin up to date and customers can personalise cars to their taste, too. While the rotating central screen is a novelty, it makes the Aston Martin DB11’S cabin feel almost archaic. Real-time traffic info and Apple Carplay boost functionality.
Many people might consider running costs irrelevant, but Bentley says 70 per cent of customers buy on finance. The 16 per cent improvement in economy and emissions will be music to their ears. And if the W12’s 23.2mpg is still too much to bear, a plug-in hybrid is on the way.
“From behind the wheel the new GT is as purposeful and relaxing as you’d hope”