2011 Bentley Continental GT Officially Unveiled

Bentley has unveiled the 2011 Bentley Continental GT, a heavily revised version of the hugely successful two-door Bentley coupe which was launched in 2003. Due for debut at the Paris Motor Show before going on sale worldwide in March 2011, the new model comes with a host of exterior and interior upgrades, as well as an updated 6.0-litre W12 engine and a new 4.0-litre V8 unit.

Despite the virtually identical profile and stance, the new Continental GT has been paid much attention when it comes to details, Bentley says. Thanks to a new construction method, the body lines are now crisper and more defined than before. The restyled front end offers Mulsanne-inspired headlamps, a more upright grille and a modified bumper. Behind, along with the new diffuser are the reshaped bootlid and new-look tail-lights, both of which once again draw inspiration from the Mulsanne.

Inside, the original cabin architecture is retained, but gains a new touch-screen display and a 30 GB hard drive for navigation and entertainment purposes. The front seats are slimmer and lighter, reducing weight count and improving rear legroom by 46 mm. A new acoustic package lowers cabin noise by 11 percent as tested at 136 km/h.

The familiar twin-turbo 6.0-litre W12 engine has been tweaked to produce more power and torque—567 bhp and 700 Nm to be exact, 15 bhp and 50 Nm more than before. The extra oomph pushes the Continental GT from rest to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds, and on to a top speed of 319 km/h. Bentley will also be introducing a “high-output” 4.0-litre V8 engine later on, one with 40 percent lower emissions compared with the W12 unit, though further details were not revealed.

The paddle-shift six-speed ZF automatic gearbox comes with a “quickshift” function which, when activated, halves shift time to 200 milliseconds and allows for multiple downshifts. Rather than the current 50/50 torque distribution, the new torsen centre differential sends the torque 40/60 (front/rear), a configuration said to improve handling balance.

The 2011 Continental GT's height, length and wheelbase are unchanged, but the body width has been increased in line with the wider front/rear tracks. That, along with the updated electronic stability control, suspension and steering systems, will enhance the car's handling further, according to Bentley.