Bentley spent most of the 20th century as the less-famous sibling for Rolls-Royce, but its returned to prominence since Volkswagen took over at the turn of this century. Most of that success has been thanks to the Continental GT, which has steadily evolved over more than a decade, and wont be confused with anything from Rolls.
Simply stepping out of Rolls shadow isnt good enough, though. Bentley is being pushed in new directions with upcoming Bentayga SUV, the recent EXP 10 Speed 6 sports-car concept, and a renewed focus on racing.
Meanwhile, the Continental GT soldiers on with a handful of updates for 2016. Does this luxury-car stalwart still have a place in the current world of high-end vehicles, and the reimagined Bentley brand? We took a 2016 Continental GT Speed convertible and V8 S coupe for a drive along the twisty roads of California wine country to find out.
Its all in the details
The Continentals shape should look familiar, as its been around in one form or another since 2003. For 2016, Bentley hoped to tweak its winning aesthetic formula with the kinds of subtle changes that confirm automotive engineers have no lives.
Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends
At the front, the bodywork around the headlights has been smoothed to make for a sleeker appearance, and there are more aggressive lower air intakes in the front bumper. Along the sides, theres new B-shaped fender jewelry borrowed from the Mulsanne, and Bentley has employed some new metalworking processes to sharpen up the creases in the bodywork. The final product looks good, but will anyone actually notice the difference?
At the back, theres wraparound chrome trim and a more pronounced rear decklid. Bentley says this actually produces a noticeable amount of extra downforce, although the product rep we talked to admitted that its hard to say whether anyone will ever use it.
Old-school luxury
The interior is essentially unchanged, meaning its still among the most opulent of any modern production car. Everywhere you look, theres incredibly precise stitching, beautiful trim (wood and carbon fiber are just some of the choices) and soft leather. Buyers can now customize the color combinations and trim to a greater degree, Bentley says.
For 2016, Bentley hoped to tweak its winning aesthetic formula with the kinds of subtle changes that confirm automotive engineers have no lives.
The carmaker says it received some complaints about the ergonomics of the eight-speed automatic transmissions paddle shifters, so it made them much larger and added some knurling. That seems to have done the trick, to the point where its easy to confuse the paddles for the turn-signal stalks. Other aspects of the cockpit remain spot on; the seats are lounge-chair comfortable, yet quite supportive, and outward visibility is good, even in the coupe.
Unlike certain German luxury cars, the Continental GT remains resolutely old school in its interior design. Theres no fancy infotainment controller, and the only supplement to the center-stack screen is a small information display nestled between exquisite-looking analog gauges.
Instead, the focus is on craftsmanship. Bentley probably spends as much time figuring out how to arrange the stitching on its steering wheels as other carmakers do coding voice controls, and it shows. The Continentals cabin is just as nice to admire from afar as it is to experience up close.
Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends
Tech was one of the weak points of the pre-refresh Continental GT we drove at our 2015 Car of the Year event, and unfortunately there arent any improvements to report. The infotainment setup covers the basics and nothing else, and the Bentley lacks the latest phone-connectivity features.
What it does have, though, is onboard Wi-Fi, capable of supporting up to eight devices. The car comes with its own SIM card, which owners can take to AT&T to connect with a new or existing data plan. Or perhaps more likely have their butlers do it.
Savage, yet civilized
Engine choices still consist of a 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 and a 6.0-liter W12, which also has two turbos. The two engines dont just differ in terms of performance, though; they also give the Continental GT two distinct personalities.
For 2016, the eight-cylinder gets some software tweaks, but power output for the V8 S model we drove remains unchanged at 520 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque. Channeled to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission, that can scoot this hefty machine to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds, and on to a top speed of 192 mph.
Slipping this more compact engine under the Continental GTs hood really sharpens the car up. It may not be as powerful or as distinctive as the W12, but the V8 is more compact, so it can be better positioned in the chassis to lower the center of gravity.
The result isnt quite sports car-nimble (the V8 S coupe was the lighter of the two cars we drove, but still weighed around 5,000 pounds), but everything feels a lot more lively, and that encourages the driver to get more involved, and push further. The V8 also sounds a bit more ferocious than the W12, which seems to be a little more muffled by its turbos than the smaller engine.
Speaking of the W12, the larger engine was thoroughly reworked to accommodate cylinder deactivation. Unlike most systems which shut off entire banks of cylinders, Bentleys shuts off individual cylinders anywhere within the labyrinthine engine. This results in a five-percent fuel economy improvement, and smoother transitions between cylinder shutoff and reactivation, according to the carmaker. We certainly didnt feel any cylinders taking a break from behind the wheel.
Stephen Edelstein/Digital Trends
When firing on all cylinders, the W12 in the GT Speed model we drove produces a titanic 626 hp and 605 lb-ft of torque. That means even our hefty convertible test car can rocket to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, and reach a top speed of 203 mph. Its probably not a good idea to try that with the roof down.
In its riotous Apple Green paint, our GT Speed convertible looked like a Romulan Warbird, and it went like one too. The mighty W12 simply devours space, and the massive tires and brakes chew it up and spit it out in way that makes a moments inattention seem likely to leave you in another time zone. The W12 provides the classic Bentley experience; it makes for a civilized grand tourer that can traverse continents with ease, but without putting the driver to sleep.
The DT Accessory Pack
Up your game and the get the most out of your gear with the following extras, hand-picked by our editors:
2004-2016 Bentley Continental GT Clear Cargo Mat ($85)
Bentley Continental GT3 White #7 ($27)
TouchUpDirect Bentley Continental GT ($24)
Conclusion
The Bentley Continental GT has been around for a long time, but it remains something special. The updates made for the 2016 model year are fairly conservative, but apparently Bentley didnt feel more was necessary. The Continental already appeals to its target demographic very well, and few cars can offer anything like this big bruisers luxury-infused take on performance.
Highs
- Powerful engines
- Sporty character
- Well-appointed interior
- Attention to detail
Lows
- Limited tech options
- Thirsty
- Bulky
1 of 44 A vibrant yellow hue highlights the 2016 Bentley Continental GT V8S against a Norwegian backdrop.
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