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BENTLEY Continental GT W12 Review

OUR TEST CAR: BENTLEY Continental GT W12 2012

 
BENTLEY Continental GT W12  - Page - 1
One excellent way of defining a vehicle is to observe its presence in the real world and the Continental GT has proved that this is one of its strong points. You can encounter this grand tourer at events that range from charity balls to drag races and the coupe feels at home while attending each and every one of them.

Perhaps this is why Bentley chose not to modify the core of the Continental GT W12 with the 2011 revamp. Despite the company marketing the vehicle as a new generation, we are actually dealing with something placed halfway between this and a facelift.

The more muscular body conceals the same platform and a powertrain that, in W12 form, has only received small upgrades.  The same can be said about the cabin, which is a more refined incarnation of the old model’s interior. Bentley also released a V8 model with a sporty character - this opens new territories for the company and can be regarded as a rather bold move taking into account how conservative this area of the market is.

The Crewe-based manufacturer felt that there was no need for too many changes when it came to the W12 version, since this already delivered what customers wanted, as shown by the positive sales figures.

Saying that the Continental GT is a modern Bentley is just as true as stating that the modern Bentley is a Continental GT.

When this car appeared in 2003, it saw the company rise to an unprecedented level. Under Volkswagen's wing, Bentley started making full use of its potential, something that had never been achieved before.

A similar situation also took place in Lamborghini's case, but while the acquisition of the Raging Bull didn't bring too many problems for VW, buying Bentley was a business-class flight that encountered severe turbulence coming from BMW.

Back in 1998, Bentley belonged to Rolls Royce, which was owned by Vickers. Volkswagen and BMW both aimed to buy Rolls Royce and the British sold the company to... both.

Each of the two German automakers received certain parts of both Rolls Royce and Bentley and it quickly became obvious that neither part could function without assets that belonged to the other side.

The two finally reached an agreement, with Volkswagen gaining control of Bentley and BMW taking over Rolls Royce.

Volkswagen had recently created their most upmarket model ever, the Phaeton luxury sedan, so a fresh platform (D1) and a monumental new engine that used a W12 configuration were on hand. These served as an excellent base for the first modern Bentley not based on a Rolls Royce, the Continental GT. The German hardware was surrounded with plenty of British flavor that came in three forms: body, cabin and personality.

Rolls Royce had assured the survival of the Bentley brand after buying it under a false identity in 1931 to keep it from competing with its own models. However, the fact that the vehicles were so closely related meant that Bentley could only appeal to a limited part of the luxury market.

The Continental GT broke that pattern and was subsequently joined by a saloon version, the Continental Flying Spur and a convertible one, the Continental GTC, as well as by a few sportier editions for the three. Led by the Coupe, the Continental range transformed Bentley into the world’s largest producer of twelve-cylinder engines in less than  a decade.

Now that Bentley has a refreshed range, we set out to see how the model that deserves most of the credit for the company’s surge can cater to one’s refined transportation needs. As we start the W12 unit barely contained by the otherwise generous engine compartment, tales of the Blower Bentley from the original Bond novels come to mind. But there’s no time for that - this engine likes to be given the occasion to pull and we wouldn’t want to disappoint it.

The Bentley Continental GT has kept most of its styling cues despite the revamp, but there are certain new details that now make the car become even more of itself, allowing its character to shine brighter.

Grand Tourers traditionally rely on their shoulders - the rear wings - to offer that distinct impression of elegance, but Bentley’s Continental GT has all its body to send this message.

Bentley has learned the aluminum superforming trick and this allows the company to gift the vehicle with more sculpted shapes. Thus, the aluminum parts of the Continental GT’s body, the front wings and the bootlid, now come with more personality. In addition to that, the coupe is about 65 kg (140 lbs) lighter.

As for the proportions, the height and especially the length increase can be neglected, but the body is now noticeably wider and so are the front and rear tracks. However, Bentley now offers 21-inch wheels for the first time. We had such rims on our test car and we have to tell you they’re fabulous.

The front fascia shows a more generous grille - just like that of its predecessor, this uses a plastic core for pedestrian safety reasons, but the fresh designs connects the car with Bentleys of the Golden Age. Another element that stands out is the collection of LEDs used for the daytime running lights. This gives the impression that it’s been taken straight from the lobby of a five-star hotel inaugurated this morning.

A glimpse at the profile reveals the more sculpted shapes we were talking about above. The low glass area is still there, despite the fact that this should’ve seemed different, as the door are taller.

The most notable revision brought to the rear of the Bentley Continental GT is the new trunk lid. The piece now incorporates a ducktail shape that serves both a visual and an aerodynamic purpose. Speaking of aerodynamics, the drag coefficient had dropped from 0.34 to 0.33, mainly thanks to underbody changes in the wheels and exhaust areas. The rear lights now make use of LED technology, but you don’t quite get the same jewelry impression offered by the aforementioned daytime running lights.

It doesn’t matter if it’s delivery time or the first day after a lot of time spent together, the Bentley Continental GT’s presence will impress you just as deeply.

The cabin of the Bentley Continental GT has received less work than the exterior when the car was revamped. This is not necessarily an issue, as we were already dealing with an exquisite interior, which has now been improved in some of the areas that matter the most.

Bentley makes some of the most refined cabins in the world and, in the Continental GT, it seems like their secret is not just the space or the materials, but the way in which the two are combined. The designers have managed to offer you the feeling of a cocoon, but with plenty of room between the seat and the shapes that surround you.

Aside from the obvious lack of the driving controls, the front passenger receives the same surroundings as the person behind the steering wheel - The dashboard is split in two virtually identical areas using character lines that stand out and are covered in smooth leather.

Event the center armrest follows the aforementioned path, using a two-side design so that both front occupants receive the same level of attention.

The vast trimming areas are also a defining feature of the Continental GT’s cabin. You can choose between a selection of veneers, aluminum and even carbon fiber. It doesn’t matter which one you opt for, you’ll receive a material that turns moments spent in traffic into quality time. Since we mentioned time, we’ll tell you that this Bentley measures it using a dash-mounted Breitling piece.

Most of the controls are covered in aluminum and this is also used for the air vents, which show that special form and function can coexist.

The steering wheel is now smaller and displays the same elegance, but the ergonomics for the area that surround it aren’t perfect. We had to deal with the classical issue of the gear shift paddles sharing the space with the other steering-wheel mounted controls.

As for the gear lever itself, this forces you to use an awkward position to operate the button on top of it. Another problem from the ergonomics point of view is that if you want to change the suspension setup, you have to use a dedicated button and also the touchscreen.

The aforementioned touchscreen is also new, but VW seems to always be one step behind certain competitors - the one in the old car felt extremely outdated and now that they’ve changed it, it’s still not one of the freshest units on the market. The problem lies in the graphics of the interface, as the rest of the system is very capable. This uses an eight-inch screen and a navigation system with a 30 GB hard drive, a DVD player, an SD memory card and a Google Maps feature.

As you look back, you notice the smooth lines of the center console that extends between the rear seats. Once you move to the back, you feel that while you receive the same quality materials , there’s less space than you get in certain superminis.

To address this issue, Bentley has installed new front “Cobra” front seats, which use sculpted backs to offer more legroom and easier access for the passengers in the back. Adults up to a medium size can use the rear seats for short trips and the only ones that can actually spend some time in them are children. Moving further along towards the rear, we find a luggage compartment that measures 358 liters (12.6 cu. ft.) and has a generous opening.

The level of craftsmanship found inside the Bentley Continental GT underlines the vehicle’s Grand Tourer nature and makes you forget about the limited space in the back and the VW-borrowed buttons of the car.

The Bentley Continental GT manages to solve one of the greatest issues with living in a modern city: the overwhelming stir of everyday traffic. This coupe isolates you from all the agitation on the road. Thus, on your journey to the office, you achieve a piece of mind that would otherwise require a short trip to the mountains.

And the Continental GT does this without removing the details that keep you connected to the driving part of the experience. When you’re driving it on urban roads, you’re still in touch the world around you, but you’re using a pleasant filter.

It’s a pity then that the car needs so much mass to build this security for its occupants. Out on the open road, the effortless performance of the W12 engine makes up for this, but inside the city you can truly feel the weight penalty. You may be relaxed, but you still need to move around and when you’re switching direction or braking you notice that this car doesn’t perfectly feel at home inside the city.

When traffic requires repeated sudden movements, the six-speed gearbox doesn’t manage to be perfectly up to the job. If you use the “drive” model, everything is a bit too soft and when you switch to “Sport” you won’t be able to stay away from occasional jolts that disturb your passenger. The newer eight-speed transmission of the V8 engine does a much better job here.

The same difference between the two powertrains is also showed in terms of efficiency. The W12 engine is not just bigger than the V8, but it also lacks the latter’s economy assets, such as cylinder deactivation and the city is the best area to make use of such developments.

From this point on, there aren’t too many aspects of the car that you couldn’t live an urban life with. It’s dimensions, for example, are fair considering what it has to offer.

The visibility is excellent in the coupe and the vehicle doesn’t come with overly complicated shapes, so maneuvering it doesn’t require too much effort. When you want to park it, you can add the array of sensors and rear-view camera to the aforementioned asset and the experience will be rather simple.

Then there’s the ride height, which allows you to tackle all the areas of the city. You’re never going to climb past urban obstacles in such a vehicle, but the ground clearance does away with the feeling of fragility many Grand Tourers offer in certain situations.

Bentley’s grand tourer even provides a decent turning circle for its size, with a value of 11.3 meters (37.1 feet). For example, the value is better than that of a BMW 6-Series Coupe (without the integral active steering).

The Bentley Continental GT knows how to make the most out of its assets even when you drive it between the borders of a city, but it also comes with important drawbacks for this driving environment. If you choose to go past the latter, you will be able to enjoy the car.

The grand tourer segments includes many entries that are basically supercars or sports cars that have been tamed to master the art of comfort, but the Bentley Continental GT uses an opposite philosophy. It does provide podium-level performance, but it delivers it in a way that’s best suited for completing long journeys in a perfect state of relaxation.

Mentioning the 1,700 rpm point where the peak torque is achieved and the generous double-sheet laminated side windows is enough to provide one with a deep understanding of the car’s nature. The rest is just pure elegance that serves the purpose of traveling.

You notice this finesse from the moment you roll away, as the soundproofing and the seats not only provide a monumental level of coziness, but this is delivered in an abundance of style.

The W12 engine has endless resources, tricking you into believing that it’s got the ability to defy the laws of physics and provide the same pulling power up to the Continental GT’s top speed of 318 km/h (198 mph).

We rarely felt the need to use the gear shift paddles, as the smooth power delivery doesn’t bring such a mood. We have to explain that the upgraded ZF six-speed automatic works fine in the manual mode, especially since it can now cope with double downshift.

While inside the city you do feel a slight lack of shifting refinement compared to the eight-speed auto on the V8 model, this vanishes out on the open road. The engine is so potent that you could even do with less than six gears, let alone feel the need for more.

All this straight line capability is not there to make you exploit the full potential, but rather to simplify the driving experience - you know that the power is always there when you need it, so you have less things to worry about.

The steering is a tad on the light side for the same reason, but it offers decent levels of communication and its weight is well-spread across the turning circle.

Bentley’s Continental GT couldn’t have achieved the same level of comfort and pace with a fixed suspension setup, so the car uses adaptive dampers and an air suspension.

The first do a great job at constantly changing their state according to the driving conditions and allow you to choose between four firmness settings. As for the air suspension, the feature automatically lowers the car at high speeds, but also allows the driver to do so at the touch of the button. This also comes in handy when you need extra ground clearance, as you can lift the car past the standard ride height, which is already generous at 125 mm (5 inches).

The ground clearance, together with the AWD make sure that you can use the Continental GT in all kinds of weather and road conditions. This ability brings a serious contribution to the peace of mind provided by the vehicle. The same can be said about the brakes, which, even in the standard iron configuration, display a reassuring manner of dealing with the car’s weight and speed.

Alas, in to provide all the aforementioned benefits, a vehicle needs a hefty amounts of assets, all of which take their toll once you place the car on the scales. Since the Continental GT doesn’t go too far with using exotic materials for the body and chassis, this translates into a real world mass that can reach 2.5 tons (5,500 lbs).

While the weight doesn’t sacrifice the comfort, it brings penalties for the dynamics, city driving and efficiency departments - during our test drive, the W12 model returned an efficiency of 18.2 l/100 km or 12.9 mpg.

None of the aforementioned are considered deal breakers for a car like the Bentley Continental GT, but they do waste a lot of its potential.

For example, the vehicle displays interesting sporty characteristics that make sure you stay connected during the drive, an important achievement for a car designed to deliver comfort. However, you don’t get to feel any of the vehicle’s impressive performance numbers.

You’ve got 575 hp and 700 Nm, capable of taking you from 0 to 62 mph in 4.6 seconds and offering even more impressive in-gear acceleration, but not for a second are you fully aware of this.

You can also use this car through the canyons, but it will neither fail nor invite you to do so and you’ll receive a polite reply.

An important part of this behavior is actually not an issue, it’s something that was intended to be this way. The character of the car means that, aside from generous throttle applications, the engine is extremely silent and you don’t get to feel the speed. Nevertheless, had the car been lighter, it wouldn’t have sacrificed any of the noblesse, but it would’ve provided a much more special feeling.

This is where the absence of a reengineering job after one decade of market presence can truly be felt. Bentley didn’t had to turn to expensive materials like carbon fiber - using an all-aluminum construction would’ve been enough. Engineers in Crewe made it slightly more powerful and a tad lighter, but this only improves the power-to weight-ratio by 6 percent.

Driving the Continental GT hard also exposes a weakness of the six-speed transmission, as you notice a certain gearbox lag that doesn’t always allow you to make full use of the W12’s impressive torque curve.

There’s also one aspect of the car that’s difficult to understand: the adaptive suspension has four modes, but it still doesn’t include one setup that favors handling.

One can be forgiven for aiming to occasionally exploit the Continental GT in this manner, since Bentley itself offers hints towards this. For example, it was the carmaker who chose to use the Continental GTC for setting a new Ice Speed Record. The ISR was even offered as a limited edition subsequently. Another example would be position of the ignition, which stays on the left - a reminder of Bentley’s successful pre-War Le Mans era.

In the end, we’ll stick with the conclusion that this grand tourer displays a bouquet of elegance that outshines the last few paragraphs. The Bentley Continental GT combines the best of both the luxury and the sports car worlds, with a pleasing bias towards the first part of the equation.
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autoevolution Feb 2013
89
History
10
Exterior
10
Interior
9
In the city
6
Open road
9
Comfort
10
Tech facts
8
Gadgets
10
Safety
10
Conclusion
7
78user rating 33 votes
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Photo gallery (76)
BENTLEY Continental GT door BENTLEY Continental GT door veneersBENTLEY Continental GT W12 door entry sillsBENTLEY Continental GT W12 seat adjustment BENTLEY Continental GT W12 ignition with keyBENTLEY Continental GT W12 paddlesBENTLEY Continental GT W12 turn signal controlBENTLEY Continental GT seatsBENTLEY Continental GT rear accessBENTLEY Continental GT W12 leather interiorBENTLEY Continental GT W12 front seatsBENTLEY Continental GT W12 embroidered headrest logoBENTLEY Continental GT interior - rearBENTLEY Continental GT W12 rear seat spaceBENTLEY Continental GT W12 interior accessBENTLEY Continental GT W12 cabinBENTLEY Continental GT W12 pedalsBENTLEY Continental GT W12 turn signal controlBENTLEY Continental GT W12 light controlsBENTLEY Continental GT steering wheelBENTLEY Continental GT W12 front seats - CobraBENTLEY Continental GT interior accessBENTLEY Continental GT interiorBENTLEY Continental GT interiorBENTLEY Continental GT W12 interiorBENTLEY Continental GT suspension adjustment controlsBENTLEY Continental GT W12 gear shifterBENTLEY Continental GT touchscreen navigationBENTLEY Continental GT W12 dashboardBENTLEY Continental GT W12 dashboard air ventsBENTLEY Continental GT W12 steering wheelBENTLEY Continental GT center console - rearBENTLEY Continental GT W12 rear seatsBENTLEY Continental GT interior space - frontBENTLEY Continental GT electric assistance for seatbeltBENTLEY Continental GT W12 rev counter and speedometerBENTLEY Continental GT W12 center consoleBENTLEY Continental GT W12 gear shift paddlesBENTLEY Continental GT W12 interior light controlBENTLEY Continental GT rear seatsBENTLEY Continental GT W12 engineBENTLEY Continental GT W12 engine badgeBENTLEY Continental GT boot spaceBENTLEY Continental GT spare wheelBENTLEY Continental GT W12 front fasciaBENTLEY Continental GT W12 front grilleBENTLEY Continental GT in the sunBENTLEY Continental GT 21-inch front wheelBENTLEY Continental GT W12 21-inch rear wheelBENTLEY Continental GT W12 styleBENTLEY Continental GT W12 BENTLEY Continental GT W12 power steering wheel adjustmentBENTLEY Continental GT W12 BENTLEY Continental GT ride heightBENTLEY Continental GT profileBENTLEY Continental GT W12 BENTLEY Continental GT W12 jewel fuel filler capBENTLEY Continental GT W12 BENTLEY Continental GT W12 closeupBENTLEY Continental GT W12 BENTLEY Continental GT W12 rear detailsBENTLEY Continental GT W12 parkingBENTLEY Continental GT W12 Black and White PhotoBENTLEY Continental GT profileBENTLEY Continental GT W12 front detailsBENTLEY Continental GT W12 BENTLEY Continental GT W12 city drivingBENTLEY Continental GT W12 BENTLEY Continental GT in British Racing GreenBENTLEY Continental GT W12 in the cityBENTLEY Continental GT W12 BENTLEY Continental GT W12 driving off the roadBENTLEY Continental GT W12 on gravelBENTLEY Continental GT W12 off-the-road drivingBENTLEY Continental GT W12 in DubaiBENTLEY Continental GT W12 dashboard instruments at night