2018 Bentley Continental GT: First Impressions

The Bentley Continental GT is a rich mix of luxury, craftsmanship and technology – all wrapped in an elegant English design. So, is it the perfect grand tourer? 

What do you think is a better mode of travel from Milan to London, for instance – a car or a plane? Surely, a flight seems more preferable. However, if you’ve got a Bentley Continental GT parked in your driveway, then the answer may not be that obvious. Why? Well, because what gives meaning to the very existence of the Continental GT is the idea of crossing countries in absolute luxury. So, you see why it would be difficult to ignore this car. And, in its latest avatar, it’s transformed into a car that’s just too irresistible to ignore. The new third-generation model, in spite of all the changes, remains faithful to the philosophy of the original car. 

The moment you get into the car, you can’t help but notice that the interior looks like the living room of Windsor Castle. Everything here is assembled by hand, and the fine levels of craftsmanship are apparent in every panel. For instance, there are 10 square meters of precious wood in the cabin, which is applied through a complex process that requires over nine hours of hand crafting. Complementing the luxurious cabin is the air suspension of the GT. It really feels like you’re on a flying carpet, just a few centimetres off the ground. And, to top it all, the soundproofing and insulation from the outside world is simply unreal. You can’t even hear the wind drafting over the bodywork until you cross the 250km/h mark on the speedo.

Flying Carpet

Part of the reason why the Continental GT feels like a flying carpet is that it’s a supercar first, and a grand tourer second – which means that it takes only 3.7 seconds to go from 0 to 100km/h and can hit a top speed of 333km/h. All thanks to the mighty 6.0-litre W12 twin-turbo engine – which, in its latest avatar, produces over 625 horses and 900Nm of torque – an engine that’s always ready to assault the tarmac, accompanied with a full-bodied sound. And what’s impressive is that, in spite of all the power and brute force, it retains the subtlety of a true gentleman’s car. The 8-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission offers lightning quick changes that are almost imperceptible. In fact, driving the new Continental has become a little more engaging, thanks to its rear-biased all-wheel drive system. That said, the big brute still feels a bit heavy despite all of the chassis updates. Around corners, its bulk is particularly evident. Well, that’s the price that you pay for all the royal features and creature comforts.

At the press of a button, you can rotate the dashboard module to choose between a 12.3-inch display and a more classic configuration with three analogue instruments – temperature gauge, compass and a stopwatch. The entire cabin is hand polished, giving it an unparalleled appearance and feel.

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