There was an episode of old Top Gear where Clarkson, Hammond and May came to Australia and Hammond drove a Bentley Continental GT in the Outback over rough-ish terrain and I just kept saying to myself ‘you can’t do that in a Bentley’. Well he did and the Bentley survived!
The Bentley Continental GT at 2017 Bathurst 12 hour. Photo by DWM.
The other part of that episode I recall is Clarkson talking about how one day he woke up and all of a sudden he liked the Bentley Continental GT. I felt the same way, for a long time it just looked big and ugly to me and then all of a sudden out of nowhere I liked it. I think it may have had something to do with seeing it race around Mt Panorama in the Bathurst 12 hour?
The third generation Bentley Continental GT was unveiled at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show and is now available in Australia.
The Continental GT brings a wealth of technology to the Grand Touring customer, built on a new electrical architecture and host to a suite of on-board infotainment, the car showcases major evolutions in Bentley’s unique application of cutting-edge technology. We celebrate the Continental GT by highlighting some of the best Technology in Numbers statistics from the exterior and interior of the world’s definitive Grand Tourer.
The Rotating Display
The Bentley Rotating Display has 40 moving parts, including two separate motors with their own gearboxes, and positions itself to an accuracy of half a millimetre. At first glance there appears to be no screen in the centre of the dashboard. Instead, the veneer flows uninterrupted across the dashboard, while a thin chrome bezel behind the steering wheel surrounds a digital instrument display.
When the engine start button is pressed, however, the veneer in the middle of the dashboard glides silently forward and rotates to reveal Bentley’s largest-ever touchscreen, a 12.3” high-definition-quality digital MMI display. The third side on the Bentley Rotating Display reveals three elegant analogue dials displaying outside temperature, a compass and chronometer.
The Powertrain
The Continental GT W12 engine
The new Continental GT is offered at launch with an enhanced version of Bentley’s peerless 6.0-litre, W12 TSI engine that sets a new benchmark in performance. The W12 TSI engine is the most advanced 12-cylinder engine in the world. The unique ‘W’ configuration means that the engine is 24 per cent shorter than an equivalent V12, benefitting weight distribution and maximising usable cabin space.
The new powertrain uses the very latest engine management technology, with 300 million software calculations per second. It produces 635 PS (626 bhp) and 900 Nm (664 lb.ft.) of torque, and accelerates the new Continental GT to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds (0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds), and on to a top speed of 333 km/h (207 mph).
The Headlamps
Each main headlamp on the Continental GT contains 82 individual LEDs. The lighting on the Continental GT uses the latest LED Matrix technology, but it is the design of the head lamps that truly sets them apart. Inspired by the finest cut-crystal glasses, the internal surfaces are transparent with sharply defined edges that catch the light like a diamond.
The result is similar to that of an illuminated gem – an effect which is magnified when the optional welcome sequence gradually illuminates the headlights as you approach the car. The taillights also feature the cut-crystal effect, highlighting the three-dimensional depth of the optics.
The Electrical Architecture
The electrical architecture comprises 2,300 individual circuits using more than 8 km of wiring and up to 92 ECUs. This includes the Bentley Dynamic Ride, an advanced 48-volt roll control system for unrivalled car control. The system controls and adjusts the electronic actuators on the anti-roll bar of each axle and so improves handling and ride comfort, as well as making the car feel lighter and more precise.
This system instantly counteracts lateral rolling forces when cornering and ensures maximum tyre-to-road contact to deliver class-leading ride comfort and exceptional handling.
I for one cannot wait to experience the Bentley Continental GT first hand!
For more information about the third generation Bentley Continental GT contact your nearest Bentley dealer.
Video and Photographs by Bentley Motors.