Bentley Continental GT 6.0 W12 (A) Review
16 Aug 2011|15,043 views
Exhibitions of conspicuous consumption don't always sit well in times of economic turmoil, although it generally stands to reason that all the money that is being bled out of your equity holdings has to be going somewhere... normally somebody else's pockets.
The 'Continental' name has been on several performance cars in Bentley's history since the early 1950s, but it was revived with a big bang with the first Continental GT in 2003, where the model's modern design language, effortless cross-continental prowess and luxurious 2+2 seating catapulted the brand into the consciousness of a younger demographic.
Exterior
As much as some buyers try to reduce their visible enjoyment of such excesses, there are certain immutable trappings of affluence that are instantly recognisable by virtue of the very essence they exude. With its powerfully sculpted haunches and crisply-defined lines, the latest incarnation of the Continental GT (or CGT, for short) is a veritable totem of power that is practically humming with the resonance of success.
Even then, there's always a sense of subdued restraint about the Bentley cars that never cry out for attention - the sleekly-styled Continental GT is more about the sum of its handworked and infinitely (almost!) variable permutations to personalised luxury than just the brand alone.
The 'Continental' name has been on several performance cars in Bentley's history since the early 1950s, but it was revived with a big bang with the first Continental GT in 2003, where the model's modern design language, effortless cross-continental prowess and luxurious 2+2 seating catapulted the brand into the consciousness of a younger demographic.
Exterior
As much as some buyers try to reduce their visible enjoyment of such excesses, there are certain immutable trappings of affluence that are instantly recognisable by virtue of the very essence they exude. With its powerfully sculpted haunches and crisply-defined lines, the latest incarnation of the Continental GT (or CGT, for short) is a veritable totem of power that is practically humming with the resonance of success.
Even then, there's always a sense of subdued restraint about the Bentley cars that never cry out for attention - the sleekly-styled Continental GT is more about the sum of its handworked and infinitely (almost!) variable permutations to personalised luxury than just the brand alone.
However, this isn't to say the CGT didn't attract its fair share of admiring glances, even from those who did not recognise it as a Bentley initially. Some continue to associate the brand with the Arnage Red/Green Label cars from before, which had plenty of oomph in a straight-line, but were a bit of a handful the moment you needed to stop, or go quickly around a corner. We reckon the attraction arises from the sheer force of this second generation CGT's imposing presence and prodigious proportions. The CGT's 4806 (L) x 2227 (W) x 1404 (H) mm dimensions are stretched over the optional 21-inch rims (on the test-car), which somehow, even manage to look small on the leviathan.
Interior
In gadget-obsessed Singapore, many continue to equate the extensiveness of a vehicle's list of gadgets with luxury, but sometimes, it's not so much about what's in it, as it is about how it's done. The unfortunate consequence of this is there's no detailed introspection when it comes to assessing craftsmanship, since these types tend to look at something in its entirety, rather than to pick-out the devil in the details, which is one of the true marks of distinction. Inside, the level of craftsmanship is meticulous and the beauty of it all is how Bentley's artisans managed to make painstakingly perfect handiwork look like it was executed by a machine.
For instance, as far as they're concerned, the CGT has leather, just like every other premium brand out there. However, these people don't appreciate how many skins were discarded to find the one, perfect, soft-touch hide that now clads the cabin of the CGT. Even the grain of the wood is subject to the most intense of scrutinies before deemed acceptable for use in the car. The visible metal bits have been finished to a glowing lustre while most of the knobs boast gorgeous milled edges; these look great and offer better grip during operation.
In gadget-obsessed Singapore, many continue to equate the extensiveness of a vehicle's list of gadgets with luxury, but sometimes, it's not so much about what's in it, as it is about how it's done. The unfortunate consequence of this is there's no detailed introspection when it comes to assessing craftsmanship, since these types tend to look at something in its entirety, rather than to pick-out the devil in the details, which is one of the true marks of distinction. Inside, the level of craftsmanship is meticulous and the beauty of it all is how Bentley's artisans managed to make painstakingly perfect handiwork look like it was executed by a machine.
For instance, as far as they're concerned, the CGT has leather, just like every other premium brand out there. However, these people don't appreciate how many skins were discarded to find the one, perfect, soft-touch hide that now clads the cabin of the CGT. Even the grain of the wood is subject to the most intense of scrutinies before deemed acceptable for use in the car. The visible metal bits have been finished to a glowing lustre while most of the knobs boast gorgeous milled edges; these look great and offer better grip during operation.
In such a rarefied segment, it is the intangible and unquantifiable appeal to the buyer that makes or breaks the brand. An acquaintance even brought up the CGT's close kinship with the VW Phaeton and wondered about the price premium over what he felt was the same vehicle! For starters, compared to most VW's rather sterile cabins, the Bentley exudes a palpable air of opulence from the materials used and the manner in which they have been put together.
The keen-eyed would have spotted the front console architecture echoes the 'flying wings' of the brand's emblem, which is also mirrored by the steering wheel design. The 'cobra-shaped' front seats are engineered to offer sublime support yet provide more rear legroom due to their clever ergonomics. Despite its old-world charm, there's nothing lo-fi about the cabin, which fuses nostalgic whimsy (like the chrome bezels around the instruments) with the latest in technology that has been cleverly integrated into the interior design. The car's various settings (Sat-Nav, NAIM hi-fi, adaptive suspension etc.) are accessed via the touchscreen display in the centre fascia.
The keen-eyed would have spotted the front console architecture echoes the 'flying wings' of the brand's emblem, which is also mirrored by the steering wheel design. The 'cobra-shaped' front seats are engineered to offer sublime support yet provide more rear legroom due to their clever ergonomics. Despite its old-world charm, there's nothing lo-fi about the cabin, which fuses nostalgic whimsy (like the chrome bezels around the instruments) with the latest in technology that has been cleverly integrated into the interior design. The car's various settings (Sat-Nav, NAIM hi-fi, adaptive suspension etc.) are accessed via the touchscreen display in the centre fascia.
The Drive
With 700Nm from the 6l W12 engine on tap from under 2000rpm, there's plenty of shove once pedal touches metal. Foot firmly planted in the plush carpet, the sensation of the 2.3-tonne kg kerbweight car erupting into action is breathtaking. Like its most recent predecessor, this iteration of the CGT is as competent going in a straight-line as it is hurtling around corners, especially once you set the adaptive dampers to 'Sport', which isn't even as uncomfortable as you might imagine. The only time you're likely to feel the CGT's size is when you're in tight confines; for the most part, fast progress is addictive, especially since at legal speeds, the car never feels stressed, as it lazily bats away any inertia that might be holding it back.
Windows up, the other eerie thing is how hushed the world outside has become; to only see commercial vans and motorbikes drive-by without actually hearing them, it was almost as though one were watching a silent movie. However, this is a double-edged sword since the CGT also puts on speed with deceptive ease. With the 100km/h mark coming up in under 5 seconds, it's very easy to get carried away with the gas pedal, especially since the 100km/h index is in the first one-quarter of the speedometer, which incidentally is rated to 340km/h...
In the earlier Arnage, it was quite lairy trying to haul the car down from speeds in as short a distance as possible, but the brakes on the CGT offer stupendous stopping power... no laughing matter considering this car tips the scales beyond the 2.3-tonne kg mark. Also, it is equally as accomplished under gradual braking as the car progressively sheds speed to a standstill, as it is under hard braking from high speeds.
With 700Nm from the 6l W12 engine on tap from under 2000rpm, there's plenty of shove once pedal touches metal. Foot firmly planted in the plush carpet, the sensation of the 2.3-tonne kg kerbweight car erupting into action is breathtaking. Like its most recent predecessor, this iteration of the CGT is as competent going in a straight-line as it is hurtling around corners, especially once you set the adaptive dampers to 'Sport', which isn't even as uncomfortable as you might imagine. The only time you're likely to feel the CGT's size is when you're in tight confines; for the most part, fast progress is addictive, especially since at legal speeds, the car never feels stressed, as it lazily bats away any inertia that might be holding it back.
Windows up, the other eerie thing is how hushed the world outside has become; to only see commercial vans and motorbikes drive-by without actually hearing them, it was almost as though one were watching a silent movie. However, this is a double-edged sword since the CGT also puts on speed with deceptive ease. With the 100km/h mark coming up in under 5 seconds, it's very easy to get carried away with the gas pedal, especially since the 100km/h index is in the first one-quarter of the speedometer, which incidentally is rated to 340km/h...
In the earlier Arnage, it was quite lairy trying to haul the car down from speeds in as short a distance as possible, but the brakes on the CGT offer stupendous stopping power... no laughing matter considering this car tips the scales beyond the 2.3-tonne kg mark. Also, it is equally as accomplished under gradual braking as the car progressively sheds speed to a standstill, as it is under hard braking from high speeds.
Conclusion
Not quite for everybody, the CGT is the soul of discretion (except for those in the 'know') - great for those who have nothing to prove and prefer to travel low-key at a brisk pace, yet expect a degree of regal comfort for longer journeys. It's not till the Bentley 'flying wings' are spotted that most people will recognise it for what it is.
What do you think? Jot down your opinions at the comment box below.
Not quite for everybody, the CGT is the soul of discretion (except for those in the 'know') - great for those who have nothing to prove and prefer to travel low-key at a brisk pace, yet expect a degree of regal comfort for longer journeys. It's not till the Bentley 'flying wings' are spotted that most people will recognise it for what it is.
What do you think? Jot down your opinions at the comment box below.
Exhibitions of conspicuous consumption don't always sit well in times of economic turmoil, although it generally stands to reason that all the money that is being bled out of your equity holdings has to be going somewhere... normally somebody else's pockets.
The 'Continental' name has been on several performance cars in Bentley's history since the early 1950s, but it was revived with a big bang with the first Continental GT in 2003, where the model's modern design language, effortless cross-continental prowess and luxurious 2+2 seating catapulted the brand into the consciousness of a younger demographic.
Exterior
As much as some buyers try to reduce their visible enjoyment of such excesses, there are certain immutable trappings of affluence that are instantly recognisable by virtue of the very essence they exude. With its powerfully sculpted haunches and crisply-defined lines, the latest incarnation of the Continental GT (or CGT, for short) is a veritable totem of power that is practically humming with the resonance of success.
Even then, there's always a sense of subdued restraint about the Bentley cars that never cry out for attention - the sleekly-styled Continental GT is more about the sum of its handworked and infinitely (almost!) variable permutations to personalised luxury than just the brand alone.
The 'Continental' name has been on several performance cars in Bentley's history since the early 1950s, but it was revived with a big bang with the first Continental GT in 2003, where the model's modern design language, effortless cross-continental prowess and luxurious 2+2 seating catapulted the brand into the consciousness of a younger demographic.
Exterior
As much as some buyers try to reduce their visible enjoyment of such excesses, there are certain immutable trappings of affluence that are instantly recognisable by virtue of the very essence they exude. With its powerfully sculpted haunches and crisply-defined lines, the latest incarnation of the Continental GT (or CGT, for short) is a veritable totem of power that is practically humming with the resonance of success.
Even then, there's always a sense of subdued restraint about the Bentley cars that never cry out for attention - the sleekly-styled Continental GT is more about the sum of its handworked and infinitely (almost!) variable permutations to personalised luxury than just the brand alone.
However, this isn't to say the CGT didn't attract its fair share of admiring glances, even from those who did not recognise it as a Bentley initially. Some continue to associate the brand with the Arnage Red/Green Label cars from before, which had plenty of oomph in a straight-line, but were a bit of a handful the moment you needed to stop, or go quickly around a corner. We reckon the attraction arises from the sheer force of this second generation CGT's imposing presence and prodigious proportions. The CGT's 4806 (L) x 2227 (W) x 1404 (H) mm dimensions are stretched over the optional 21-inch rims (on the test-car), which somehow, even manage to look small on the leviathan.
Interior
In gadget-obsessed Singapore, many continue to equate the extensiveness of a vehicle's list of gadgets with luxury, but sometimes, it's not so much about what's in it, as it is about how it's done. The unfortunate consequence of this is there's no detailed introspection when it comes to assessing craftsmanship, since these types tend to look at something in its entirety, rather than to pick-out the devil in the details, which is one of the true marks of distinction. Inside, the level of craftsmanship is meticulous and the beauty of it all is how Bentley's artisans managed to make painstakingly perfect handiwork look like it was executed by a machine.
For instance, as far as they're concerned, the CGT has leather, just like every other premium brand out there. However, these people don't appreciate how many skins were discarded to find the one, perfect, soft-touch hide that now clads the cabin of the CGT. Even the grain of the wood is subject to the most intense of scrutinies before deemed acceptable for use in the car. The visible metal bits have been finished to a glowing lustre while most of the knobs boast gorgeous milled edges; these look great and offer better grip during operation.
In gadget-obsessed Singapore, many continue to equate the extensiveness of a vehicle's list of gadgets with luxury, but sometimes, it's not so much about what's in it, as it is about how it's done. The unfortunate consequence of this is there's no detailed introspection when it comes to assessing craftsmanship, since these types tend to look at something in its entirety, rather than to pick-out the devil in the details, which is one of the true marks of distinction. Inside, the level of craftsmanship is meticulous and the beauty of it all is how Bentley's artisans managed to make painstakingly perfect handiwork look like it was executed by a machine.
For instance, as far as they're concerned, the CGT has leather, just like every other premium brand out there. However, these people don't appreciate how many skins were discarded to find the one, perfect, soft-touch hide that now clads the cabin of the CGT. Even the grain of the wood is subject to the most intense of scrutinies before deemed acceptable for use in the car. The visible metal bits have been finished to a glowing lustre while most of the knobs boast gorgeous milled edges; these look great and offer better grip during operation.
In such a rarefied segment, it is the intangible and unquantifiable appeal to the buyer that makes or breaks the brand. An acquaintance even brought up the CGT's close kinship with the VW Phaeton and wondered about the price premium over what he felt was the same vehicle! For starters, compared to most VW's rather sterile cabins, the Bentley exudes a palpable air of opulence from the materials used and the manner in which they have been put together.
The keen-eyed would have spotted the front console architecture echoes the 'flying wings' of the brand's emblem, which is also mirrored by the steering wheel design. The 'cobra-shaped' front seats are engineered to offer sublime support yet provide more rear legroom due to their clever ergonomics. Despite its old-world charm, there's nothing lo-fi about the cabin, which fuses nostalgic whimsy (like the chrome bezels around the instruments) with the latest in technology that has been cleverly integrated into the interior design. The car's various settings (Sat-Nav, NAIM hi-fi, adaptive suspension etc.) are accessed via the touchscreen display in the centre fascia.
The keen-eyed would have spotted the front console architecture echoes the 'flying wings' of the brand's emblem, which is also mirrored by the steering wheel design. The 'cobra-shaped' front seats are engineered to offer sublime support yet provide more rear legroom due to their clever ergonomics. Despite its old-world charm, there's nothing lo-fi about the cabin, which fuses nostalgic whimsy (like the chrome bezels around the instruments) with the latest in technology that has been cleverly integrated into the interior design. The car's various settings (Sat-Nav, NAIM hi-fi, adaptive suspension etc.) are accessed via the touchscreen display in the centre fascia.
The Drive
With 700Nm from the 6l W12 engine on tap from under 2000rpm, there's plenty of shove once pedal touches metal. Foot firmly planted in the plush carpet, the sensation of the 2.3-tonne kg kerbweight car erupting into action is breathtaking. Like its most recent predecessor, this iteration of the CGT is as competent going in a straight-line as it is hurtling around corners, especially once you set the adaptive dampers to 'Sport', which isn't even as uncomfortable as you might imagine. The only time you're likely to feel the CGT's size is when you're in tight confines; for the most part, fast progress is addictive, especially since at legal speeds, the car never feels stressed, as it lazily bats away any inertia that might be holding it back.
Windows up, the other eerie thing is how hushed the world outside has become; to only see commercial vans and motorbikes drive-by without actually hearing them, it was almost as though one were watching a silent movie. However, this is a double-edged sword since the CGT also puts on speed with deceptive ease. With the 100km/h mark coming up in under 5 seconds, it's very easy to get carried away with the gas pedal, especially since the 100km/h index is in the first one-quarter of the speedometer, which incidentally is rated to 340km/h...
In the earlier Arnage, it was quite lairy trying to haul the car down from speeds in as short a distance as possible, but the brakes on the CGT offer stupendous stopping power... no laughing matter considering this car tips the scales beyond the 2.3-tonne kg mark. Also, it is equally as accomplished under gradual braking as the car progressively sheds speed to a standstill, as it is under hard braking from high speeds.
With 700Nm from the 6l W12 engine on tap from under 2000rpm, there's plenty of shove once pedal touches metal. Foot firmly planted in the plush carpet, the sensation of the 2.3-tonne kg kerbweight car erupting into action is breathtaking. Like its most recent predecessor, this iteration of the CGT is as competent going in a straight-line as it is hurtling around corners, especially once you set the adaptive dampers to 'Sport', which isn't even as uncomfortable as you might imagine. The only time you're likely to feel the CGT's size is when you're in tight confines; for the most part, fast progress is addictive, especially since at legal speeds, the car never feels stressed, as it lazily bats away any inertia that might be holding it back.
Windows up, the other eerie thing is how hushed the world outside has become; to only see commercial vans and motorbikes drive-by without actually hearing them, it was almost as though one were watching a silent movie. However, this is a double-edged sword since the CGT also puts on speed with deceptive ease. With the 100km/h mark coming up in under 5 seconds, it's very easy to get carried away with the gas pedal, especially since the 100km/h index is in the first one-quarter of the speedometer, which incidentally is rated to 340km/h...
In the earlier Arnage, it was quite lairy trying to haul the car down from speeds in as short a distance as possible, but the brakes on the CGT offer stupendous stopping power... no laughing matter considering this car tips the scales beyond the 2.3-tonne kg mark. Also, it is equally as accomplished under gradual braking as the car progressively sheds speed to a standstill, as it is under hard braking from high speeds.
Conclusion
Not quite for everybody, the CGT is the soul of discretion (except for those in the 'know') - great for those who have nothing to prove and prefer to travel low-key at a brisk pace, yet expect a degree of regal comfort for longer journeys. It's not till the Bentley 'flying wings' are spotted that most people will recognise it for what it is.
What do you think? Jot down your opinions at the comment box below.
Not quite for everybody, the CGT is the soul of discretion (except for those in the 'know') - great for those who have nothing to prove and prefer to travel low-key at a brisk pace, yet expect a degree of regal comfort for longer journeys. It's not till the Bentley 'flying wings' are spotted that most people will recognise it for what it is.
What do you think? Jot down your opinions at the comment box below.
Car Information
Bentley Continental GT 6.0 (A)
CAT B|Petrol|6.1km/L
Horsepower
423kW (567 bhp)
Torque
700 Nm
Acceleration
4.6sec (0-100km /hr)
This model is no longer being sold by local distributor
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