Having been introduced in 2003, Bentley’s Continental GT is officially the oldest model in the British automaker’s lineup. About time for a facelift? Bentley thought so, too. The 2011 Conti has been brought up to date with an evolved interior and exterior that put it more in-line with the brand’s Mulsanne flagship, while a new 4.0-liter V8 engine will join the tweaked W12 in 2011.
Most noticeable in front are the gemstone headlights peeking out from behind newly-extended wings, moving the front fender / front bumper panel gap downward. Also, the grille surround has officially become part of the hood’s lines and now houses the front license plate as well.
One can see a similar design in back, where Bentley utilized the Mulsanne’s “double horse-shoe” theme. On either side of the boot, the rear fenders have gained some more definition and the car’s taillights are slightly more squared-off. The overall package increases track width by 41-mm in front and 48-mm at the rear.
Now, onto the good part: engines (now plural!). Offered under the hood are now two forms of propulsion: 1) as usual, a big 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 which creates 575 hp and 700 Nm / 516 lb-ft of torque and is FlexFuel-compatible (up to E85), and 2) for the first time in the model’s run, a 4.0 V8 coming later in 2011 with emissions that Bentley claims are 40% lower than the W12.
With the extra 15 horsepower (and the car’s weight reduced by 65 kg), the W12 is good for a 0-60mph (96km/h) burst in 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 198 mph / 318 km/h. Bentley is keeping its lips sealed about the 8-cylinder’s output for now, but they say “high-output”, so expect a screamer.
In the field of putting power to pavement, the revised 6-speed automatic transmission allows “double downshifts” while still running all four wheels; the 20- or 21-inch rollers now get 40/60 front-to-rear power distribution (versus the outgoing model, which was 50/50).
The interior, while clearly still Continental, gets updated as well: there’s a spruced-up dash, a new touchscreen infotainment unit with a 30GB hard drive (15 GB specifically for music), and redesigned front seats that offer rear cargo an extra 46-mm of legroom. Sounds are brought to you by 11-speakers from Naim, and there is TV/DVD/Phone/iPod/etc. connectivity; pretty much everything one you’d expect in a Bentley.
Overall, Bentley has succeeded in updating its breadwinner while keeping it very identifiable and distinct. Expect to see it next to the Mulsanne in Paris, and as soon as there are some official numbers on the V8, we’ll let you know. Now back to your regularly-scheduled daydreaming.
The best part is, I know exactly how my wifey (boobie) wants the car to have as in color, interior trims, model, and options.
Having your car COMPLETELY FALL OFF THE DYNO during a DYNO RUN!
YIKES!
ULTRA FAIL TO THE MAX x MAX!
Mitsubishi EVOLUTION (“EVO”) decides to disgracefully side-tackle a pillar after a low dyno run of 450hp. How unsportsmanlike. This might have happened at Mech-Tech College in Puerto Rico this week.
Yea yea bla bla were ALL going to talk shit on it, but in the end we’ll all end up watching it.
Agree?
If not your lying to yourself.
http://fastfivemovie.com
Vin Diesel and Paul Walker lead a reunion of returning all-stars from every chapter of the explosive franchise built on speed in Fast Five. In this installment, former cop Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) partners with ex-con Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) on the opposite side of the law. Dwayne Johnson joins returning favorites Jordana Brewster, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot, Matt Schulze, Tego Calderon and Don Omar for this ultimate high-stakes race.
Since Brian and Mia Toretto (Brewster) broke Dom out of custody, they’ve blown across many borders to elude authorities. Now backed into a corner in Rio de Janeiro, they must pull one last job in order to gain their freedom. As they assemble their elite team of top racers, the unlikely allies know their only shot of getting out for good means confronting the corrupt businessman who wants them dead. But he’s not the only one on their tail.
Hard-nosed federal agent Luke Hobbs (Johnson) never misses his target. When he is assigned to track down Dom and Brian, he and his strike team launch an all-out assault to capture them. But as his men tear through Brazil, Hobbs learns he can’t separate the good guys from the bad. Now, he must rely on his instincts to corner his prey…before someone else runs them down first.
If you guys have some spare time, read some of the comments people left on Youtube.
They’re HILARIOUS!
Talking about funny, I came across this video on my boy Brian Filoteo (Auto Concept Elite) team member’s blog www.gangsta-original.com*CHECK HIM OUT*
This video literally made me LAUGH MY FCUKIN ASS OFF!!
Not a huge Bentley Continental fan, but this is def. a must watch for all car enthusiasts.
I didn’t even know of such model for the Bentley till some 20 year old kid from Boca Raton, Florida on the M5Board.com posted up his new Bentley Continental SS as another addition to his daily…
The special limited color he got is: Monacco Blue on Black.
Only 6 in this limited color rolling around in the states (USA)
Check it!
Bentley SS Monacco Blue + M5 Alpine White
M5 + Bentley = ❤
Interior shot: Man I love the stitch work!
Rear seats? I can def. see the CF rear strut bar.
I replied to his thread saying “Fly me out there in your private G6 so we can PARTY IT UP”! lol
Let’s see what he replies =)
Till then enjoy the TOP GEAR review video by: Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson tears up more than just the Top Gear track in the £160,000 Bentley Continental Supersports in this high definition clip from series fifteen of the award-winning motoring show. Go to http://www.youtube.com/TopGear to see a full list of all high quality videos available on the Top Gear YouTube channel and don’t forget to visit http://www.topgear.com for all the latest news and car reviews.
