The Bentley Continental GT, the automobile that symbolizes the logo’s twenty first century revival, is now two decades outdated.
Unveiled in 2003, the Continental GT was once the primary new Bentley created beneath the Volkswagen Staff’s possession. Earlier than the VW Staff takeover, Bentley had most commonly languished beneath Rolls-Royce possession, promoting rebadged variations of Rolls fashions, which themselves had been taking a look an increasing number of anachronistic on the flip of the century.
With Rolls-Royce going to BMW beneath an settlement between the 2 German automakers, VW needed to get a hold of a brand new platform for long term Bentley fashions. The automaker’s selection for its first automobile beneath VW possession was once an all-wheel-drive coupe powered by means of a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W-12 engine, with a reputation and styling referencing the vintage 1952 Bentley R Kind Continental.
Bentley Continental GT twentieth anniversary
The primary-generation Continental GT remained in manufacturing for seven years, spawning convertible and Flying Spur sedan frame types, in addition to sportier GT Velocity and Supersports variants. A big replace, regarded as a second-generation style by means of Bentley, debuted on the 2010 Paris motor display. Probably the most notable alternate was once the addition of a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 model to the lineup, which shaped the foundation for a Continental GT3 race automobile.
Offered in 2018, the third-generation Continental GT was once a real redesign, with utterly other external styling, up to date infotainment era, and a brand new dual-clutch transmission a few of the highlights. This Continental GT, which remains to be in manufacturing lately, additionally added the 48-volt lively roll keep watch over gadget first observed within the Bentayga SUV. Coupe and convertible variations stay, together with the Flying Spur, which remains to be in keeping with the Continental GT however has been additional distanced from it as a separate style.
The Continental GT platform has additionally served as the foundation for coachbuilt specials, together with the Bacalar convertible and Batur coupe, the latter showed by means of Bentley as its closing style to function the W-12 engine.
Bentley Continental GT twentieth anniversary
To have a good time 20 years of the Continental GT, Bentley unveiled a one-off construct all the way through 2023 Monterey Automobile Week. The coupe was once impressed by means of the primary Continental GT manufacturing automobile—VIN 2001—carrying that automobile’s Cypress Inexperienced paint, Saddle leather-based upholstery, and Burr Walnut picket veneer inside. It additionally sports activities updates that come with carbon-fiber elements for the entrance splitter, facet skirts, and spoiler at the out of doors and inexperienced accents and distinction sewing at the within. It is set to leave on a 20-stop international excursion to commemorate the Continental GT’s twentieth anniversary.
As for the way forward for the Continental GT, an up to date model of the present technology is predicted to debut in 2024 as a 2025 style. It’s going to most probably upload the plug-in hybrid powertrain prior to now observed within the Bentayga Hybrid and Flying Spur Hybrid. An all-electric Continental GT is also within the playing cards as smartly, as Bentley is aiming for a absolutely electrical lineup by means of 2030.
