Bentley Continental GT Coupe full 9 point review
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Performance
The Continental GT comes with a choice of two engines, a twin-turbocharged, direct injection V8 with 500bhp, and a mammoth 6.0-litre W12 with 567bhp. There’s actually very little difference between the two on outright performance – both are exceptionally fast and keen to unfurl their awesome power at very low engine speeds.
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Ride & Handling
It might be fast, but the GT is by no means a raw sports car. You get the reassurance of four-wheel drive, as well as adjustable air suspension that mostly strikes a decent balance between comfort and control. However, sharp motorway joints and battered B-roads can upset the GT’s composure.
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Refinement
You’d be appalled if the GT wasn’t library quiet: you won’t be disappointed. Inevitably, those big tyres do generate some road noise over grainier surfaces, but that’s the only fly in the ointment. The engines run at just above tickover at motorway speeds, while the triple laminated acoustic glass blots out wind noise to the point where driving past cars traveling in the opposite direction produces only the faintest murmur of wind whoosh.
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Buying & Owning
You wouldn’t expect a Bentley to be cheap, but the car’s strong residuals should help protect your (rather sizeable) investment. The V8 costs considerably less to buy than the W12, and it’s much cheaper to run, too. A carefully treated V8 will return an average of 27mpg, compared to the W12’s 17mpg.
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Quality & Reliability
You’d expect a Bentley to provide a luxurious environment, and the Continental GT does just that. Just about everything is trimmed with polished wood or soft leather, and the quality of the fixtures and fittings is exemplary. We've no reason to doubt the Audi and VW-sourced mechanicals, either.
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Safety & Security
The GT is a very safe car to drive, with peerless traction from its four-wheel-drive system. Electronic safety systems help you avoid skids, while twin front, side and curtain airbags, and active anti-whiplash front head restraints protect occupants in a shunt. Deadlocks and an alarm are on hand to keep thieves at bay.
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Behind The Wheel
There's a wide range of electric adjustment to help drivers of different shapes and sizes make themselves comfortable, and although you sit quite high, the high window line creates a secure feel. The dash is styled to echo the wings of the Bentley badge, and is reasonably user-friendly. However, the thick, steeply angled windscreen pillars leave blind spots at roundabouts and junctions.
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Space & Practicality
Space isn't a problem if you're sitting in the front, and small adults will fit (for short distances) in the twin rear seats. The Continental GT is more practical than most supercars you can buy for the money, then, especially since you also get a large, well-shaped boot with a low loading lip.
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Equipment
The Continental GT comes with nearly every piece of equipment you can think of. There's a paddle-shift system for the automatic gearbox, as well as satellite-navigation, climate control, cruise control and an elaborate stereo. In typical Bentley style, customers can also specify virtually any other luxury item they might desire.
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