So this means that the new Bentley Continental Supersports will deliver something around 650 HP since the Continental GT Speed currently gives out 616 HP and the upcoming Continental GT3 race car will probably give something around 280 HP. A lot of weight saving measures are expected to be featured on the Continental GT Supersports in order to enhance its performance. So one can pretty much expect carbon-fiber composite body as well as a thin interior on the car. But we hope Bentley will not take any extreme measure to keep its weight low since that may just compromise on the overall ‘Bentley’ experience. Improvements in the chassis and the engine are also expected. Reports also indicate that the Supersports will also be launched in a convertible variant, although at this point we are unable to confirm any such info from our end.

Looks

If a layman were to be asked to tell the difference between the 2010 Bentley Continental GT and the 2011 model, then he would definitely require a “spot the difference” book for a reference. However a trained eye would definitely recognize the 2011 model as having a new set of eyes and ones which are bejeweled. The circular lamps signal old world charm and are lined with LEDs. Some of the quirkiness from the old model also has been deleted and instead a monoform is the pervading theme inside the cabin. The twin creases on the bonnet converge onto the grille of the car which represents a jaw without the lower bone line. The air dam in the meanwhile is an eloquent affair and much deeper as also wider than the outgoing model. Unfortunately there are no fog lamps coming the car’s way but then I personally feel that it looks very good without the addition of fog lamps. The wing mirrors are a new design element while the coupe now gets a hemmed in look from the sides. Somehow the side look shows that the coupe’s beltline rises towards the rear instead of being settled. The 19 inch wheels are carried over from the old model. At the rear, the Bentley looks truly ancient. The ride height is amplified from the rear. Twin tail pipes look as if they would readily blast some one off. The fatter tyre section is similar to the one on the Audi R8, if a tad thinner.

Interiors

Open the wide opening chunky door and you are treated to a cabin which at the first glance seems Spartan and that is until you realize that almost all the controls are housed in the touch screen media system. The steering wheel is a 3 spoke unit which has got the cruise controls, phone controls and also audio controls. Like I mentioned before, everything is hand built and has that soft leather touch to it which you can only expect from a premium high end car. The meter dials with their twin pods and middle of the path digital display look borrowed from the Veedub family. It shows various information like the door is open, wear your seatbelts and stuff. Even the trip meter gauge is hand made. The circular AC vents are also hand crafted plus between the two vents on the dashboard lies an analog clock. An eight inch DVD screen at the center controls or rather displays most of the functions. The engine start stop system is to the left of the transmission case. It is a crown jewel like stick. The case encompassing the transmission tunnel is cloaked in wood. The glove box is adorned with wood trim as also the door pads. I was told that the Bentley can actually customize the interiors with about 116 options while the exterior paint scheme runs to about 100 different colors. The seats are perforated leather ones and have all sorts of adjustment to them. Not that you would need to adjust anything since the GT available is the long wheelbase version one. As for the rear passengers, there is a serious dearth of head room. Leg room however is a tad better than the outgoing model. Bentley have provided the 2011 model with a reverse camera and parking sensors. The boot space is ridiculously small and has little of usable space. There is no parcel shelf as well. Inside the cabin, there is an absence of cubby holes. Moreover the rear seats don’t split to provide for additional boot space.

Handling and ride quality

The 2011 Bentley Continental GT has been billed as a driver’s car. This is something which its competitors in the name of Maybach or even Rolls don’t proclaim. As a change, Bentley have put in all wheel drive however it has been tuned to be on the better side of rear wheel drive. The emphasis is more on the rear wheel drive configuration. The split happens to be skewed to the rear. The new Bentley uses an independent air suspension which can level itself to about 100 time in a second. If the speeds are upped, the big Bentley automatically aligns itself closer to the ground and at low speeds and bad roads, it raises itself. If you don’t prefer the car to do everything, you can yourself alter the suspension settings via a switch near the transmission tunnel. The handling aspect is what Bentley promised and it definitely feels much on the sporty side of things with the engine playing a spoil sport here. It doesn’t grumble even at elevated speeds. Infact the minimal roar may be attributed to the twin laminated glass and also the heavy usage of sound deadening material under the hood. The car due to its all wheel drive is more at ease around corners and body roll has been kept to a minimum. As for the ride quality part, the Bentley is the most pliant car after the Mercedes S-class that I have ever sat in. The Bentley just muscles its way through pot holes and stuff. Not that I encountered too many during the course of the review but the few road imperfections that I came across were dispatched with a disdain. The steering wheel though is on the heavier sides and it becomes handful when one has to maneuver the car in tight parking spots. But then it delivers a good feedback to the driver.

Engine, performance and fuel efficiency

The 2011 Bentley Continental GT carries over the same engine from the 2010 model and this means the lovable W12 boasting of a 6 liters capacity. It is aligned with a ZF 6 speed auto transmission. Inspite of Bentley claiming it to be a sports car rival, the 2011 model doesn’t have paddle shifts behind the wheel. The engine however has been given some tweaking to enable it to develop more power. The increase in power  brings the power figures to 567 HP while the torque has also witnessed a major spike with the engine now producing 516 pound feet. The transmission is a fine unit with quick down shifts and also upshifts. This porky sedan tips the scales at nearly 5 thousand pounds and it still manages a 0-60 mph timing of 4.5 seconds. This coupe has lost some weight from its predecessor and this coupled with the increase in power has led to such performance figures. The Bentley pulls neatly till 188 mph after which its performance tapers a bit. The car is also highly responsive in its power delivery and a light foot on the accelerator saw the speedometer needle licking at 73 mph. Brakes are upgraded from the 2010 model to retard the extra power that this car makes now. It is ably assisted by ABS, EBD and traction control. Safety aspect has been taken care of with the GT acquiring a good from IIHS.

As for the fuel efficiency figures, the Bentley returned a consistent 16 mpg in overall driving. This shouldn’t be a worry to many of the buyers since if you can afford a Bentley, you can definitely buy a gas station as well.

Verdict

The review figure done, its now time to check out the pros and cons. Well, the pros far outweigh the cons. The 2011 Bentley Continental GT has got a god brand image plus it also has a nice engine with pleasing interiors. Cons are that it is too big in traffic plus the rear seats are not that comfortable. The 2011 Bentley Continental GT price is $1.8 lakhs. At this price, you can buy almost many of the other sports car but none would boast of the good ergonomics that the Bentley possess.