Car Reviews > Bentley > Continental GT > Bentley Continental GT Car Review

Facts At A Glance CAR: Bentley Continental GT PRICE: £176,435 (as tested) ENGINE: 6.0 litre W12 GEARBOX: 6 speed CO2 EMISSIONS: 360g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 4.4s / Max Speed 198mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: 17mpg (combined) EQUIPMENT: : Satellite navigation, 8-inch touch screen, leather upholstery, 20-inch alloy wheels, climate control ON SALE: NOW

The Continental GT gets supercharged

This new grand touring car is a truly sumptuous vehicle to test out on British roads.

The new Bentley Continental GT can definitely be said to be an improvement on the vehicle that it replaces. The new GT is no less than 65 kilograms lighter than its predecessor, as well as being styled in a much crisper fashion and providing a considerably sharper drive into the bargain as well, perhaps proving that the new Bentley Continental GT is definitely a subscriber to the old notion of “less is more”, especially when applied to both engineering and design.

No less than 90 per cent of the car’s bodywork is brand new, with the style clearly being heavily influenced by that of the previous Continental GT in what is obviously a very deliberate decision. Bentley apparently regards the Continental as their version of the Porsche, and so this same silhouette is likely to remain standard on all future versions of the Continental as well, with the engine and the gearbox being the major aspects of the design expected to undergo some evolution over the coming years. Indeed, a new 4.0 litre V8 engine is expected to arrive later in 2011, perhaps as an example to illustrate their point.

In the meantime, however, this version of the new Bentley Continental GT has the faithful old 6.0 litre W12 to give the car its energy and it is more than up to the task of handling the challenge of using a 6-speed gearbox to drive all 4 wheels.

This new kid on the block is leaner and meaner than its predecessor, capable of 567 bhp and a torque of no less than 700 Nm, able to go from 0-62 miles per hour in just 4.4 seconds and with an impressive top speed of 198 miles per hour (allegedly, anyway). This extra speed has not been achieved by compromising the vehicle’s economy or increasing CO2 emissions, however, which will please both the frugal and the environmentally conscious. In fact, both the economy and the CO2 emissions have been improved on the previous vehicle because of the reduction in the car’s overall kerb weight. Fuel returns are expected to be about 17 miles per gallon, with a CO2 output of no more than 360g per kilometre.

More good news comes from the fact that while the weight of the vehicle may have been scaled back, its luxurious qualities most certainly have not. The interior of the Bentley Continental GT is exquisitely trimmed, with a machined aluminium dash and a mix of both hand stitched and quilted leathers. Some new details have also been added to the interior, such as a revamped dashboard with piano black inserts and arcing leather detail, plus a redesigned 8-inch satellite navigation system (which also features a touch control system reminiscent of the Apple iPad).

This version of the new Bentley Continental GT costs around £176,435 thanks to such cool additional features as an optional sound system (which is itself worth around £5200) and a brake kit worth no less than £11000, although prices actually start at just £135,760.

The torque and performance of the new Bentley Continental GT really are second to none and regular Bentley buyers will be falling over themselves to get their hands on this one.

by Autoweb