Photo: Bentley
After years of crippling losses under the control of the Vickers conglomerate, Volkswagen saved Bentley in 1998. The financial troubles didn’t go away immediately, but with the Continental GT introduction, the British automaker’s fortunes have changed for the better.
2003 is when the first example of the breed rolled off the assembly line in Crewe, and since then, Bentley produced more than 80,000 units of the ultra-luxurious grand tourer with 2+2 seating and up to 12 cylinders. Over the course of 18 long years, the Continental GT's power ratings have improved by 27 percent while emissions have been reduced by 48 percent.
“I had the pleasure of launching the original,” said chief exec Adrian Hallmark. “Being here for the launch of the latest generation – and the iterations that have followed – has been a source of great pride for me.”
Redesigned from the ground up in 2018 on the MSB vehicle architecture, the Porsche Panamera’s cooler brother is available as a two-door coupe and convertible. The only transmission available is an eight-speed DCT borrowed from the German automaker, and engine options kick off with the twin-turbo V8 that you’ll also find under the hood of the Panamera Turbo.
542 horsepower and 569 pound-feet (770 Nm) of torque isn't too shabby, but the motor the Continental GT deserves is the twin-turbo W12 with 6.0 liters of displacement. The range-topping model belts out 626 horsepower and 664 pound-feet (900 Nm) of torque from 1,350 to 4,500 rpm. In other words, Bentley promises blistering performance despite the generous curb weight of 5,322 pounds (2,414 kilograms) for the convertible body style.
At the time of reporting, the GT V8 Coupe is listed in the United States with a $202,500 starting price. Opt for the GT W12 Convertible, and you’re looking at $240,800 excluding destination charge and optional extras.
As for the competition, only three candidates come to mind. The achingly beautiful and tech-crazy Ferrari Roma is the most obvious, along with the V8-engined Aston Martin DB11 and V12-engined DBS Superleggera.
“I had the pleasure of launching the original,” said chief exec Adrian Hallmark. “Being here for the launch of the latest generation – and the iterations that have followed – has been a source of great pride for me.”
Redesigned from the ground up in 2018 on the MSB vehicle architecture, the Porsche Panamera’s cooler brother is available as a two-door coupe and convertible. The only transmission available is an eight-speed DCT borrowed from the German automaker, and engine options kick off with the twin-turbo V8 that you’ll also find under the hood of the Panamera Turbo.
542 horsepower and 569 pound-feet (770 Nm) of torque isn't too shabby, but the motor the Continental GT deserves is the twin-turbo W12 with 6.0 liters of displacement. The range-topping model belts out 626 horsepower and 664 pound-feet (900 Nm) of torque from 1,350 to 4,500 rpm. In other words, Bentley promises blistering performance despite the generous curb weight of 5,322 pounds (2,414 kilograms) for the convertible body style.
At the time of reporting, the GT V8 Coupe is listed in the United States with a $202,500 starting price. Opt for the GT W12 Convertible, and you’re looking at $240,800 excluding destination charge and optional extras.
As for the competition, only three candidates come to mind. The achingly beautiful and tech-crazy Ferrari Roma is the most obvious, along with the V8-engined Aston Martin DB11 and V12-engined DBS Superleggera.
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