Bentley Continental GT review

The Bentley Continental GT name conjures up rose-tinted images of what driving used to be like, when roads were empty and the super-rich would blast through Europe to the Riviera. Yet it was actually the first truly modern Bentley.

When it was introduced in the early Noughties, shortly after Volkswagen bought the brand, its technology was cutting edge and it single-handedly increased Bentley sales five-fold. Given that success, it’s perhaps not surprising that the designers were happy to just fettle what they had for a while.

More recently, though, rival luxury coupés such as the Aston Martin DB11 and Mercedes S-Class Coupé have moved things on dramatically – and Bentley has responded with the car you see here.

It might look similar to its predecessor, but the latest Continental GT is based on an all-new platform that was developed with Porsche (it's also used for the Porsche Panamera). That means it's lighter than ever before, has better weight distribution and comes packed with all the latest tech.

For example, like the Bentley Bentayga it now has the 48v anti-roll bar system that operates by firing actuators on the front and rear bars to keep the body upright in corners. It’s clever stuff and should, in theory, make this two-tonne-plus coupé feel more nimble than it has any right to. 

Under the bonnet you can have either a 542bhp twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine or a 626bhp 6.0-litre W12. There have also been strong rumours that a plug-in hybrid engine will follow.  

So, does the Bentley Continental GT still have what it takes to stand out in an increasingly competitive class? That's what we'll be exploring over the next few pages of this review, where we'll tell you what it's like to drive, how plush the interior is and much more.

Remember, once you’ve decided which luxury GT is for you – or if you decide to buy a new vehicle of any make and model –  you could save thousands of pounds without any haggling by checking the best prices with the free What Car? New Car Buying service, which has some impressive new Bentley deals.