Bentley Continental GT 2011 Tease
Bentley has launched a micro site to herald the launch of the 2011 Bentley Continental GT on 7th September.
It’s not going to come as a shock to regular readers to learn that Bentley are giving the evergreen Continental GT a nip and a tuck for 2011. We reported on the Continental GT facelift as long ago as March, complete with spy photos. And in truth it’s probably about time; its been seven years since the first ‘VW’ Bentley was launched to an unsuspecting Premier League.
Which is a little unfair; the Bentley Continental GT is a very good car. In Speed guise it even comes close to being a ‘Great’ car. It just seems to lack a certain something. Maybe there’s just too much Teutonic efficiency dialled in. It’s almost anodyne at times.
The Continental GT has also been a victim of its own success. Just like the Range Rover Sport it has become associated with tasteless owners; all bling and no brain; lots of cash and too much flash. Which is a shame for those who would buy, but don’t because of the connotations.
Sadly, it seems unlikely that the release of the 2011 Bentley Continental GT on 7th September (online, don’t you know. Very 21st century from Bentley) will change peoples perceptions. But it probably won’t upset Bentley too much; even in these tough times they are selling far more cars than they ever did before VW revived the marque.
To trumpet the 2011 Continental GT Bentley has launched themselves a 2011 Bentley Continental GT Microsite. You get the video below and a countdown to the launch on 7th September, and not much more. But expect a more upright grill and flowing wings with new headlights with a ring of LEDs – all the better to tie the nose in with the front of the new Mulsanne.
We’re also expecting the regular continental GT to get a hike in power – up to around 600bhp, which is where the GT Speed is at the moment. That should then see the GT Speed getting tweaked to deliver closer to 650bhp. And both models – despite the jump in power – will be more economical than before.
Other speculations are more radical ( but one thing that won’t be added to the 2011 Continental is Bio Fuel compatibility as many have reported – that was already added this year). We’re still not sure if this is a facelift for the Continental with cosmetic tweaks, a new interior and a new infotainment, or if it’s going a lot further.
The underpinnings of the current Continental are VW Phaeton based. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s all getting a bit last century and weighs about the same as a small moon.
We are expecting – at some point – that the Continental will get the underpinnings from the new A8, which will not only save the equivalent of a pair of Sumo wrestlers in weight but will give a longer wheelbase and wider track to boot.
But that may be more than this is. Too early to know for sure, but whatever Bentley does to the Continental GT will also flow in to the GTC and Flying Spur.
All of which will make it much harder to resist the temptation of the GT Speed in particular. Even if the rest of the world will perceive you as a man with a ball at the centre of your world.
Or worse – if you’re female – a WAG.
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