Bentley Continental GT 2012 Overview
Test Drive

Bentley Continental GT 2012 Overview

The Bentley GT is an imposing machine with a long, wide and muscular body, a W12 engine up front for spirited rides and a premium interior for comfort. 

Customers wanted more, wanted the same character of the first 2003 GT with a few tweaks. Customers wanted the two-door to move forward in style and technology without detracting from heritage.

So the Bentley team painted a new body, slightly wider and cleaner, with sharper creases, beefed up the front end, revised some of the mechanical details, and found a little more space in the cabin for a four-seater. 

The result is one of the greatest tourers ever, a stylish and substantial car with lines and performance similar to the first of these Continental GTs, Bentley's most successful car series to date. 

From 1919 to 2003, the British marque sold 16,000 cars. Since 23,000, 2003 GT cars have been sold worldwide in coupe, convertible and supersport body styles; about 250 of them in Australia. 

The new GT is an "evolution of the revolution" continuing the successful relaunch - brand renaissance - that these first GT models brought to Volkswagen-owned Bentley.

VALUE

A $405,000 Bentley Continental GT sits in the corral of some powerful exotic tech. It carries individual style, luxurious interior and excellent engineering; like everything in that bracket. 

The GT lacks some of the techno driver assists - such as lane keeping assist - many in this class. We are told that Bentley boys and girls "go to showers, not to showers." they like to watch their driving. 

The value here is in the fit of the pants, in the characteristic style and technique. The resale value of a Bentley is said to exceed the value of cars like Mercedes-Benz and BMW by about 80 percent for a five-year GT.

TECHNOLOGY

The twin-turbocharged W12 engine now delivers more power (423 kW) and torque (700 Nm), runs on an E85 ethanol blend and can propel the GT to 318 km/h. A variant with a 4-litre V8 engine, due in late 2011, aims to cut CO02 emissions by 40 percent.

All-wheel drive is now split 40:60 where the previous car was 50:50, and the six-speed automatic has been redesigned and beefed up. There's stability control and a console-mounted switch for four suspension settings.

Design

It took three and a half years to rebuild this bold GT inside and out. Key to the new lines was "superforming," a panel-making process that produces those sharp folds that Bentley once had, when bodies were forged by hand and profiles lost to factory tooling. It also allowed the designers to drop some lines, in particular the closure lines on the front fenders.

For a more dynamic and wider styling, there is an additional 40mm width, a brow line above the front guards, a higher waistline, and a more upright grille and trunk lid. There is a crease running from the front wheels (reminiscent of a 1954 R Type) to the sculpted hips. 

The simpler design lines and "Bentliness" have been moved inward, as evidenced by the oval brake pedal with a large "B" embossed. Moving the seatbelt from the front seats to the body saved 46mm of rear seat space and 25kg; more sculpted door trim allowed for more storage space.  

SECURITY

Bentley is equipped with front airbags for the driver and passenger, as well as individual side airbags for all passengers and a knee airbag for the driver. Four-wheel drive and a well-balanced chassis, excellent brakes, continuous damping adjustment - all this provides first-class primary safety. 

DRIVING

A W12 exhaust tailpipe in the back, a clean alpine road ahead and the GT in its element. The driver and passengers luxuriate in a lake of leather luxury.

Left to itself and D to drive, the coupe moves at more than reasonable speed, aided and abetted by 700Nm reaching a low 1700rpm. Visibility to the front, side, and rear is good, and the car is always quiet and confident, although there can be some tire noise on rough surfaces.

But shift into S mode, start using the paddles behind the steering wheel to enter and exit corners, and the Bentley will do more. Sharper responses and a smoother linear dash to the next turn. The best of the experience is smart downshifting, engine-to-splash electronics and sublime responses.

Large and ventilated disc brakes provide great feel and stopping power, the speed-sensing steering is docile in town and gets sharper as speed increases, while the suspension is best left a point or two north of the comfort setting.

But while this 2011 GT may be 65kg lighter than its predecessor, it still has 2320kg and nearly 5m x 2m of machine to roll from corner to corner on tight mountain roads. It's important to provide a little throttle here to help the front end fight understeer. After all, this is a grand tourer in the best traditions of the genre.

VERDICT 

Supercar for every day

Bentley Continental GT

Cost: $405,000

Resale: 82 percent in five years

Safety: Seven airbags

Engine: 6-litre twin-turbo W12: 423 kW at 6000 rpm / 700 Nm at 1700 rpm

Transmission: six-speed automatic

Thirst: 16.5l / 100km; CO 384 g / km

Body: two-door coupe

Dimensions: 4806 mm (length) 1944 mm (width) 1404 mm (height) 2764 mm (width)

The weight: 2310kg

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