Bentley Continental 2011 Overview

This is one of those cars that looks exactly like the old one, at least at first glance. But if you put the new Bentley Continental GT next to its predecessor, the differences immediately become apparent. This strategy has been successfully adopted by other automakers, including BMW, resulting in an evolutionary rather than revolutionary approach to car design. At the same time, the new model must be different enough to encourage existing customers to upgrade. Did the Bentley succeed?

VALUE

At just over $400,000 on the road, the Continental GT is Bentley's most affordable model, spanning the upper tiers of the luxury segment and the lower tiers of an even more exclusive line of hand-built cars. To put the car in context, the two-door, four-seat coupe is designed to transport four people in absolute comfort across a continent at incredible speeds and does the job perfectly.

Think of a big, powerful car with massive torque and a top box, hand-trimmed interior, and you start to get the picture. Released in 2003 (2004 in Australia), the Continental GT was the first modern Bentley of its kind and therefore found a ready market. The One Oz customer even shipped their finished car to Australia instead of waiting two months for it to arrive by boat.

GT has spearheaded the resurgence of the bespoke British brand owned by Volkswagen and now accounts for the majority of sales. As a successor, the new GT won't seem as easy to drive, but it's been a while between drinks.

TECHNOLOGY

Thanks to the new unique W12 engine, it's lighter and more powerful than before, and the all-wheel drive system is now shifted 60:40 to the rear for a sportier drive. The 12-cylinder engine (essentially two V6 engines connected at the rear) puts out an impressive 423kW of power and 700Nm of torque this time around, up from 412kW and 650Nm.

Combined with a nice 6-speed ZF automatic with column-mounted paddle shifters, it accelerates the car to 0 km/h in just 100 seconds, two tenths less than before, with a top speed of 4.6 km/h. It's no small feat considering the GT weighs a hefty 318kg.

First, the W12 engine is now compatible with the E85, but we shudder to think how quickly it will consume the 20.7 liters per 100 km that we got with 98RON (the claimed savings from a 90-liter tank is 16.5). . We were told that fuel consumption would increase by about 30 percent, which would significantly reduce range.

Design

Styling-wise, the car has a more upright front grille and a bigger size difference between the headlights and extra lights on both sides with the addition of trendy daytime LEDs.

The windows have been raised, the taillights have been completely redesigned, and the rear apron has also been completely redesigned, with 20-inch wheels as standard, with 21-inch wheels now available as an option.

On the inside, you have to be a Bentley fan to tell it apart. But it's hard not to notice the new 30GB touchscreen navigation and entertainment system, adapted from the VW parts bin. The front seat belt anchor has been relocated, making the seat more comfortable and making it easier to access the rear seats. There is 46mm more legroom for rear passengers, but it's still cramped for long trips.

DRIVING

On the road, the car feels quieter, tighter and more responsive, giving the driver more feedback. But throttle response remains thoughtful, not instantaneous, as the car readies itself to charge. At idle, the W12 has an impressive ripple. We were surprised by the lack of driver assistance systems other than active cruise control.

Bentley says they're not a high priority for customers, but with a narrow field of view, blind-spot warning won't stray, as will auto-braking to prevent rear-end collisions. As for other developments, Bentley has said it will add a V8 later this year, but doesn't say anything about the 4.0-litre engine other than the fact that it will provide better fuel economy (and will no doubt be cheaper).

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT

ENGINES: 6.0 liter turbocharged 12-cylinder petrol engine

Power/Torque: 423 kW at 6000 rpm and 700 Nm at 1700 rpm

Gear boxes: Six-speed automatic, all-wheel drive

Price: From $405,000 plus travel expenses.