The Continental GT is one of Bentley’s most popular cars; the car maker has managed to sell an impressive 70,000 of them since it was first launched in 2003. The GT has proved to be the company’s highest seller however, that record will soon be taken over by the Bentayga SUV. But, let’s not discuss sales number. We had the keys to the car and a lot of distance to cover.
On the outside
The sun was up and there was nice cold breeze. It was a great day to be driving, especially when the car was an orange flame Continental GT. The newest model looks quite impressive and large. But that’s not it, the aluminium body appears to be well built and the car has nice details. These details make the car look a lot smoother than the previous generation models. The car has a large bonnet, small cabin and smooth rear. Overall, the car has a much nicer stance.
As we got closer to the car we began noticing all the styling details. The car has high-quality front mesh grille and crystal war- like headlights. The chrome trim at the side of the car does look nice but it’s the rear that we found perfect. The unique taillights and exhaust tips make it look like nothing else.
On the inside
Stunningly, the car is even nicer inside. The car has doors that open wide revealing a high-quality interior. The wood trim is well-finished and the leather is of the best quality. Every small piece including metal ones look impressive. This car, unlike the Bentayga, is missing of any plastic-feeling buttons.
Another nice touch is how the dashboard works with the door panels. Keeping it up-to-date is a heads-up display and fully digital instrumentation. We found it to be well finished and believe that even older customers won’t miss the analogue unit. The car also has a really centre console that rotates to display different information. You can either have a touchscreen, analogue dials or just simple wood-finish. The only complaint we had was with the rear seats, they can be used for short distances only.
How does it perform?
For now, the Continental GT is available only with the twin-turbo, W12 unit. It’s a newer version of the engine we’ve seen in previous models. However, it has been reworked for direct and indirect fuel injection. Another new feature that this car has the cylinder deactivation tech that shuts down half the cylinders for better fuel efficiency. However, in full power mode the car makes an impressive 635hp and 900Nm of toque.
The GT does 50kph to 120kph very quickly even after weighing a heavy 2.2 tonnes. The way the car pulls is superb and we had to keep giving it a try. Interestingly, the car has so much power that at times it can almost feel more-than-needed. This huge car manages to touch 100kph in just 3.7 seconds which is impressive.
We were driving the car for a long distance which is why we got comfortable in the new Bentley. This is also where the car’s distance shortening ability is revealed. The motor is running at low revs without drama and the car hardly makes any noise. Additionally, the insulation is top-notch as well.
Should I buy one?
As we drove along we reached a place with bad road conditions. Impressively, the car didn’t disappoint here, we were greeted to an impressive ride quality. While you can hear a little noise coming through its still low when you consider that the car is riding on 21 inch wheels.
After lunch we were headed to Austria and the car delivered here as well. It was quick and sturdy at high speeds which made covering long distances stress-free. That said how many in India would actually be able to use their car for this purpose? The number is very low. Indian buyers would be more concerned about how the car looks and what kind of statement it makes. This is where the GT delivers well. However when we tried out the car’s potential we were only left hoping future buyers try it out.
