While the supercar world continues to march towards making their cars more comfortable and usable on an everyday basis, it's hard to imagine them ever toppling the GT segment when cars like this new Bentley Continental GT look this good.
Revealed overnight, the all-new third-gen Conti continues on where the last one left off, with an obvious focus on both long distance cruising in luxury, and pretty potent performance for when the mood is right. It's also the greatest visual change to the Continental lineage; looking lower, leaner, and just a lot fresher next to its contemporary rivals.
It still utilizes the same 6.0-litre W12 from the old Continental, but this time it generates 466kW or power and 897Nm of twist. With that heft now backed by an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (a first for the Continental), the big bruiser will leap from a standstill to 100km/h in 3.7 seconds, and eventually hit a top speed of 333km/h.
But even with the added performance, this will still be an exceptionally comfortable, luxurious place to be. Bentley's 48-volt third-gen Dynamic Ride System and air suspension combine to provide the basis for the Continental's handling; whether the driver is in Comfort Mode, Bentley Mode, or Sport Mode. Start/stop technology will turn off parts of the engine during everyday driving, too, in order to save fuel.
Luxury? Well, the images tell the story don't they. The 'diamond in diamond' quilt shown in the press images looks good enough to sleep on, while a three-sided rotating unit in the middle of the dash can be switched to show;
The 12.3-inch infotainment screen...
Some fancy pants analogue dials...
Or, nothing at all...
Bentley's main luxury focus is the degree to which owners can customise their cars. Should you put your hand up and order one of these things, you'll have the choice of 15 carpet options, 17 base paint colours, and eight different interior veneer options among the many elements that can be chopped and changed.
“Bentley has been at the forefront of luxury Grand Touring for nearly one hundred years. The new, third-generation Continental GT is the pinnacle of our design and engineering achievements and marks the next step in Bentley’s journey,” said Bentley's chairman and chief executive Wolfgang Dürheimer.
“We are the world leader in luxury mobility and our products and services define new luxury in the automotive world. The new Continental GT encapsulates our desire to innovate as well as celebrate our heritage and take the Bentley ownership experience to the next, unparalleled level.”
Pricing for the Continental GT in New Zealand will start between $350,000–$360,000, with delivery to follow on in the second half of next year.
