Bentley Continental GT
Ratings
4 stars
Summary
Recommended. Massive performance comes as standard - it's just a shame about the rather dowdy design.
Review
This is the first of the "VW" Bentleys, engineered under the guidance of the Germany company after it bought control of the venerable British carmaker, and the overall effort is pretty impressive.
External styling continues to disappoint. The GT looks big and bland, its under-detailed, slabby flanks lacking the sort of head turning visual presence that Bentley used to be famous for. That said, inside the hand-built cabin it feels far better, with plenty of old-school Bentley wood-and-leather alongside modern technology. It's a supremely comfortable place to spend time thanks to a brilliant driving position and excellent refinement at high speed.
Handling sticks closely to the established Bentley script - this never feels like anything less than a massive car. But get the measure of the GT and it's possible to hustle it along at an impressive pace, helped out by the clever adaptive damping system. But it feels most at home in wide, open spaces, with the massively impressive 6.0 litre turbocharged W12 engine working to deliver the horizon, first class. Performance is towering - this is a genuine 200 mph car.
As you'd expect, ownership costs are truly terrifying too - but if your pockets are deep enough the GT is a far more usable everyday prospect than its more esoteric supercar rivals.
Ratings Breakdown
Styling
3 star
Try as we might we just can develop affection for the slab-sided profile and those vast headlamps.
Handling
3 star
Composed and unflustered at high speeds, but even the adaptive suspension system can only bend the rules of physics so far on twisty roads.
Comfort
5 star
If there's a more comfortable way for two people and their luggage to cross a continent, we've yet to find it.
Quality & Reliability
5 star
Vastly better assembled than old-school Bentleys, VW's ownership has combined English craftsmanship with German quality auditing.
Performance
5 star
Pretty much off-the-scale - the W12 motor has massive urge in any gear and at any speed. Feels like you're in a powerful speedboat when the bow lifts at full throttle.
Roominess
4 star
Decent room for two but the rear seats are only really suited to kids or luggage. Generous boot is more than up to a week's touring.
Running Costs
1 star
Decent room for two but the rear seats are only really suited to kids or luggage. Generous boot is more than up to a week's touring.
Value for money
3 star
Compared to price-point rivals, the GT does offer respectable value - despite costing the same as a nice apartment in the Algarve.
