The New Continental GT 2011 is one of Bentley's sexiest machines ever, and the brand's best-selling model. Granted, the nearly two-inch-wider track (65.51 inches front/65.15 inches rear) and standard 20-inch, five-spoke wheels (21-inch optional) also add to the effect. (The logo's wings are a longstanding Conti design flourish, stemming from the 1950 R-Type Continental.) Also shaped in Mulsanne fashion are the car's skinny, elliptical chrome exhaust tips, which expel the fumes created by the twin-turbocharged, 567-horsepower 6.0-liter W-12.
No other car in the premium sports car segment offers such a dichotomy of luxury and performance.
Power lines streak from front to back, accentuating the body like a finely pressed suit. Aluminum Super Forming heats body panels to 500° Celsius, eliminating the need for spot welding on the front wing panels and trunk lid. Flared elliptical tailpipes are chromed while the rear Bentley signature “floating” LED lamps extend around the corner accentuating size and stance.
At its core, Bentley has designed a sports coupe of the highest magnitude. Power stems from a 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12 engine. Steering wheel mounted paddle-shifters allow for rapid transition between gears. Mated to a 6-speed ZF Quickshift automatic transmission, it takes only 4.4 seconds to reach 60 mph. Additional performance figures indicate passing times of 1.7 seconds from 30-50 mph and 2.9 seconds from 50-75 mph. Top speed is set at 198 mph.
Speed is not the only factor propelling the new Bentley Continental GT to the top of its class. Continuous damping aids performance; the ride is supple yet tight with very little lean or body roll even at high speeds.
Standard wheel sizes are 20-inch 5-spoke aluminum alloys with two 21-inch Elegant and split-rim Sports variations optional. Large 405 mm (16-in.) front and 335 mm (13.2-in.) rear ventilated disc brakes bring the new Continental GT to a rapid and controlled stop. Optional 420 mm (16.5-in.) front and 356 mm (14-in.) rear cross-drilled carbon ceramic brakes supply the best stopping power.
Soft-touch leather is placed throughout the hand-crafted cabin. Rear seats are surprisingly comfortable, even for those over six-feet tall and a center armrest offers storage and rear ventilation adjustment. The 2011 Bentley Continental GT will offer the 6.0 W12 engine as its only source of power at launch. Worldwide sales for the original Bentley Continental topped 45,000 units since its introduction in 2003. A lofty achievement in the premium sports coupe segment, the 2011 Bentley Continental GT seems poised and capable to take the lead once more.
The 2011 Bentley Continental GT is just the second generation of the blockbuster coupe that rumbled ashore eight years ago. 0-60 mph? Top speed? 198 mph.
It's everything the current Continental GT is. For Crewe's design and engineering teams, the new Continental GT coupe is an opportunity to set a bold and exciting direction for one of Bentley's most revered names – the Continental.
Now the new Continental GT 4-seat coupe builds on the success of its iconic predecessor, capturing that GT spirit but with even higher standards of design, engineering, luxury, craftsmanship, dynamic performance, everyday practicality and refinement. The contemporary interior offers new levels of cabin design, comfort and hand-crafted luxury. This advanced power unit will deliver a 40 percent reduction in emissions compared with the W12 engine and will offer a class-leading CO2 emissions-to-power ratio with Bentley levels of performance and refinement.
Both engines are coupled to an all-wheel drive system with a sporty 40:60 rear-torque bias (compared with the 50:50 bias of the original Continental GT), minimising understeer during hard cornering and allowing the experienced driver to control the car's line and balance via precise throttle control. - Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen, Chairman and Chief Executive
"The new GT coupe interior combines form, practicality and innovation. The Continental GT's new infotainment system also provides the ultimate in in-car audio entertainment. An eight-speaker sound system is offered as standard employing the latest Balanced Mode Radiator technology. An 11-speaker Naim for Bentley system – created exclusively for the Continental GT by British audiophiles Naim – employs revolutionary Dirac Dimensions ™ digital signal processing. At launch, the new Continental GT coupe is powered by the latest evolution of Bentley's acclaimed 12-cylinder, 6-litre twin-turbocharged engine, now calibrated to provide even greater performance, thanks to increases in power, torque and fuel efficiency.
