Bentley will launch its third-generation Continental GT coupé in India on March 24, 2018. The third generation of the popular Bentley model takes design inspiration from the stylish Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 concept car shown way back, at the 2015 Geneva motor show.
The new Continental GT is longer than the outgoing model, with the front wheels 135mm further forward, which in turn has allowed the bonnet to be extended and the nose to be lowered. The wheelbase has increased by 110mm to 2,856mm. The model is 25mm wider than the current car. It is 1,954mm wide, 1,392mm tall and 4,805mm long.
The new model uses the Porsche- developed MSB (Modular Standard Drivetrain) platform, which also forms the underpinnings of the latest-gen Porsche Panamera.
Under the bonnet is a heavily revised version of Bentley’s 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 petrol engine, which the brand describes as “the most advanced 12-cylinder engine in the world”. It is mated for the first time to a dual-clutch, eight-speed transmission. It delivers 635hp at 6,000rpm, 43hp more than the outgoing unit, and 900Nm from 1,350rpm to 4,500rpm.
On the inside, the new Continental’s cabin features high-quality leather and veneers and hand-finished chrome details. When the engine is switched on, the veneer rotates to reveal Bentley’s largest touchscreen, yet – a 12.3-inch display which has been designed to be “akin to a modern mobile phone”.
Expect Bentley to price the new Continental a bit higher than the outgoing model.