Photo: CarPix
The Continental GT is getting a bit long in the tooth, but fret not. Expected to come out of its hiding in 2017, the 2018 Bentley Continental GT will breathe new life into the most attainable and the most popular Bentley model of the bunch.
What you’re looking at, however, is a test mule of the 2018 Bentley Continental GTC beautified with plenty of bits and bobs from the current model. Things like the roof, the third brake light, the front fascia and grille, the exhaust tips, the rear quarter windows, all these things are lifted from the ongoing Conti GTC.
Notwithstanding, things such as the oval-shaped and LED-accented taillights will make it into production. Other details that differentiate this test mule from the present-day Conti GTC include the much shorter overhang up front and the heavily clad dashboard. With time, Bentley will replace the plastic cladding with production-ready panels that will pay a nod to the breathtaking EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept.
The next-generation Bentley Continental GT and Continental GTC will be based on a new platform. Christened MSB, this architecture is shared with the 2017 Porsche Panamera, a full-size sedan that happens to lap the Nurburgring faster than any other sedan in the world. The MSB, then, will allow Bentley to use all the Porsche know-how. If we’re lucky, we could even get rear-wheel steering on the next-gen Conti GT.
A simple check of the plates on the DVLA website suggests that the Continental GTC test mule spied on this occasion started life as a cream-painted car and it is powered by a 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12. The entry-level model, however, will get the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 powerhouse from the second-generation Porsche Panamera Turbo. It remains to be seen if a plug-in hybrid powertrain will also be made available.
Oh, and by the way, there's a sub-Continental GT sports car in the works and its name could be Barnato.
Notwithstanding, things such as the oval-shaped and LED-accented taillights will make it into production. Other details that differentiate this test mule from the present-day Conti GTC include the much shorter overhang up front and the heavily clad dashboard. With time, Bentley will replace the plastic cladding with production-ready panels that will pay a nod to the breathtaking EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept.
The next-generation Bentley Continental GT and Continental GTC will be based on a new platform. Christened MSB, this architecture is shared with the 2017 Porsche Panamera, a full-size sedan that happens to lap the Nurburgring faster than any other sedan in the world. The MSB, then, will allow Bentley to use all the Porsche know-how. If we’re lucky, we could even get rear-wheel steering on the next-gen Conti GT.
A simple check of the plates on the DVLA website suggests that the Continental GTC test mule spied on this occasion started life as a cream-painted car and it is powered by a 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12. The entry-level model, however, will get the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 powerhouse from the second-generation Porsche Panamera Turbo. It remains to be seen if a plug-in hybrid powertrain will also be made available.
Oh, and by the way, there's a sub-Continental GT sports car in the works and its name could be Barnato.
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