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Aluminum Super Forming technology is employed to create the front wings and
the boot lid. This process heats the aluminum panels to nearly 500 degrees
Celsius before shaping them by air pressure. By using a single sheet of
aluminum, no seams or welding are required.
The latest body construction
techniques deliver crisp, highly defined feature lines and form to every area of
the exterior design. The familiar power lines and rear haunches - echoes of the
original 1950s R-Type Continental - now have even sharper radii to create highly
distinct surfaces, bringing the feel of a truly coachbuilt car to the new coupe.
The Bentley Continental GT coupe's new look is bolder than ever. The classic
Bentley matrix radiator grille is more upright, while the new headlamp design,
in traditional four-lamp format, has exquisite jewel-like detailing including
eye-catching, LED daylight-running lamps.
At the rear, Bentley signature
'floating' LED lamps extend around the corners of the wings, emphasizing the new
coupe's width and purposeful stance. The track is wider by 1.6 inches at the front and
1.7 inches at the rear than the previous model. The bootlid design has a powerful 'double
horse-shoe' motif, reminiscent of the new Bentley Mulsanne, while flared
elliptical exhaust tailpipes reinforce the new GT's sporting credentials.
The shape of the new Bentley Continental GT coupe's body is also more
aerodynamic following extensive wind tunnel analysis. In conjunction with a
range of extensive underbody refinements (including wheel arch and exhaust
aerodynamic aids) the GT's coefficient of drag has been reduced to 0.33Cd and
the lift at the front and rear axles has also been reduced to create greater
stability at higher speeds.
The new Bentley Continental GT is specified
with 20-inch alloy wheels as standard, with, for the first time on the
Continental family, the option to upgrade to 21-inch designs. Three styles of
wheel are offered - a 20-inch five-spoke version and two 21-inch Elegant and
split-rim Sports variations, which come in a variety of chromed and painted
finishes.
Contemporary, Hand-Crafted Interior for Four people
With an entirely hand-crafted interior, the
Continental GT's cabin sets new standards in refinement and luxury to create a
stylish space in which up to four people can relax in total comfort.
The instrument panel and dashboard subtly echo the flying wings of the
Bentley motif and are fashioned from the highest quality soft-touch leathers.
New touchscreen technology and chrome-bezelled dials are housed within this
dynamic cockpit area, which rises from the centre console in the form of
dramatically surfaced 'wing' buttresses.
The striking and unique 'Cobra'
design seats are supremely comfortable thanks to the introduction of the latest
body-supporting materials which use complex foams to provide softness at first
touch but with excellent support over longer journeys.
The seats can be
specified with front-seat ventilation as well as a state-of-the-art massage
system with 10 individual massage cells and individual side airbags are provided
as standard for all passengers. Front seatbelts feature a new
electrically-operated automatic presenter, making buckling-up effortless. Driver
knee airbags are standard fitment.
The new Continental GT offers superb
everyday usability. The new slim-line front seats with scalloped backs also
provide a further 2 inches of legroom for back-seat passengers and easy access
to the rear cabin.
No other Grand Tourer offers such impressive levels of
refinement thanks to the advanced noise-suppression technology that includes
acoustic glazing, under-floor shields and hidden anti-vibration panels
throughout the interior.
The cabin is trimmed with soft-touch leathers, a
full range of wood veneers, cool-touch metals and deep-pile carpets - all
hand-crafted in Bentley's unrivalled workshops at the factory in Crewe, England.
The attention to detail even extends to applying a UV stabilizer to the wood
veneers to protect from bleaching, thus ensuring they can be enjoyed as new for
decades to come.
Every leather hide is still sewn under the watchful eye
of Bentley's highly skilled craftsmen and women. By incorporating ingenious,
angled 'ramps' behind the leather, the interior designers have created sharp,
well-defined styling lines, while maintaining a soft-touch.
Other simple
yet practical functions include a powered boot as standard, Electronic Park
Brake with Move Off Assist and newly designed, leather-lined door stowage bins
with an integrated bottle holder.
Perhaps the most stylish new storage
device in the new Continental GT is the exquisitely designed, folding, removable
case designed to hold items such as keys and pens and which can also be slipped
into a pocket or bag. Crafted from veneers to match those of the coupe's
interior, the case (available as a cost option) is finished with inlaid Bentley
wings, satin-chromed and leather-lined, and is secured in a recess above the
twin drinks holders in the centre console.
Class-Leading Infotainment
Technology
Complementing its contemporary cabin, the new Continental
GT also features advanced new touchscreen technology with rich map imagery and a
30GB on board hard drive.
The 8-inch screen displays the car's audio
system, telephone, ride and comfort settings and the very latest navigation
system, which uses both an in-car hard-disc drive and a DVD player to access
route data. It also employs dynamic navigation to guide you around areas of
heavy traffic, finds destinations using geo-tagged photos from an SD memory card
and is Google Maps-compatible (market specific).
The infotainment system, with 7 digit
postcode entry, uses a combination of touchscreen controls and classic knurled
rotary switches to offer instant usability and crystal-clear feedback. The
graphic interface of the screen is engineered in-house to ensure its visuals are
completely in keeping with the style of the interior. Look closely and you will
see that the knurled switches on the screen are 'virtual' echoes of the knurled
switches below.
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. These unique compact, flat-panel speakers provide exceptional
clarity with a very wide frequency range.
An 11-speaker Naim for Bentley
system - created exclusively for the Continental GT by British audiophiles Naim
- employs revolutionary Dirac Dimensions digital signal processing. This
industry-first technology creates a virtual 'sound field' independent of speaker
layout to deliver concert hall-quality sound reproduction for every occupant
wherever they may be sitting.
The GT coupe also benefits from telephone
and music player connectivity, digital television (where available) and DVD
movie playback. Music can be played and controlled directly from an iPod as well
as from a six-disc CD changer, SD card reader or directly from the car's
hard-disc drive, which can store up to 15GB of music.
More Powerful
W12 Engine
The Bentley Continental GT is set to have a choice of two
very distinctive high-performance engines. In addition to the new 567 hp version
of Crewe's renowned 6.0 liter W12 powertrain, a new high-output 4.0-liter V8
engine option will be introduced in late 2011.
The new 4.0-liter V8
engine honors Bentley's environmental commitment to deliver a powertrain that achieves
a 40 percent improvement in CO2 emissions. The new V8 is being designed
specifically by Bentley's engineers to deliver all the exhilarating power and
torque synonymous with the marque. The new Crewe-built engine will also offer a
class-leading CO2 emissions-to-power ratio.
At launch, the new
Continental GT coupe is powered by the latest evolution of Bentley's acclaimed
12-cylinder, 6-liter twin-turbocharged engine, now calibrated to provide even
greater performance, thanks to increases in power, torque and fuel efficiency.
Designed in a unique 'W' configuration, it is
the most compact and technologically advanced 12-cylinder engine in the world.
Four camshafts and 48 valves allow the engine to breathe effortlessly and help
to generate the distinctive Bentley wave of torque. It is also capable of
running on petrol (gasoline), E85 bioethanol or any mix of the two - all from a
single tank.
In 2008, Bentley announced a far-reaching environmental
program that included a 15 percent improvement in powertrain efficiency and the
adoption across the Bentley model range of FlexFuel technology by 2012.
Bentley's FlexFuel models are capable of delivering potential CO2 reductions of
up to 70 percent on a 'well-to-wheel' basis - the measurement of CO2 released by
a fuel from its production (well) through to its combustion or deployment
(wheel).
To ensure that the power and torque generated remain constant
(whatever the fuel) an advanced Fuel Quality Sensor continuously monitors the
ratio of the fuels used. It then guides the Engine Control Unit to adjust the
engine's timing. This provides the seamless power delivery for which Bentley
engines are renowned, and ensures there is no compromise on performance when
using fuels that create lower CO2 emissions.
Further revisions to the new
Bentley Continental GT coupe's engine include low friction, lightweight
components which allow the W12-format engine to rev even more freely, while the
latest engine management system and twin, low-inertia turbochargers are
optimized to ensure minimal turbo lag.
Overall, the Bentley Continental
GT coupe is 143 lbs lighter than its predecessor thanks to reductions in all
areas of the car from engine components through to new seats. With its power
output raised by 14 hp and torque by 37 lb-ft - to 567 hp and 516 lb-ft - the
result is a 6 percent improvement in the new GT's power-to weight-ratio, making
it capable of accelerating from zero to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds with a top
speed of 198 mph.
The increased power and torque are transmitted to the
all-wheel drive system via an uprated six-speed Quickshift transmission, which
halves shift times (to just 200 milliseconds). The revised gearbox also has the
ability to deliver double downshifts (sixth to fourth gear, for example) and
improves acceleration across the entire gear range. To cope with the additional
power and torque, the planetary gear set of the six-speed ZF transmission is
also strengthened.
Positive torque during downshifts is achieved through
engine and gearbox electronic controller interaction for extra throttle and fuel
injection during the overrun, replicating manual throttle 'blips' for precise
rev matching . During transmission upshifts, fuel and ignition are cut
momentarily to give faster mechanical shift times through torque reduction, also
improving shift quality and durability.
All-Wheel Drive System
Both engines are coupled with a state-of-the-art, all-wheel drive system
employing an advanced
Torsen differential. This ensures safe yet dynamic sports car handling in all
road conditions and all weathers.
In the new coupe, the power split has a
40:60 rear bias for a significantly more sporting feel in terms of handling and
mid-corner acceleration. However, it can adjust instantaneously the power split
between the front and rear wheels depending on the available grip. In addition,
an uprated Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system provides additional
security and grip whatever your driving style.
The new Bentley
Continental GT's chassis delivers the optimum ride and handling balance. The
wide front and rear track benefits agility and handling, while solid aluminum
cast-forged, high-stiffness front suspension uprights and aluminum gravity die
castings at the rear work in conjunction with a redesigned front anti-roll bar
and retuned spring and damper settings. The result is improved response and
stability at all speeds.
Continuous Damping Control (CDC) constantly
monitors the car's attitude and poise. By adjusting the suspension settings
hundreds of times a second it can provide a remarkably supple ride at low speeds
and increased control as speeds climb. It can also lower the car in 'V-Max' mode
for enhanced stability at the highest speeds.
Bentley Continental GT: Photo Gallery, Review (1/2) and Specifications