Frankfurt 2017: All-New 2018 Bentley Continental GT Revealed Ahead Of Debut

Bentley has revealed the new third-generation Continental GT, featuring a new powertrain package, new chassis, and a few other updates.

Inspired by the EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept, the new Continental GT, which is the first production car ever to have an entire body side made from Super Formed process - a precision technique working with aluminium heated to 500°C - now comes with a longer and lower profile due to the positioning of the front wheels 135mm further forward than before.

Notable features include LED Matrix headlights and taillights designed to resemble diamonds, 21-inch wheels, 22-inch optional rims, as well as 17 exterior paint options.

Inside, the new Continental GT offers improved luggage capacity, a new ‘diamond in diamond’ leather upholstery design, as well as the Bentley Rotating Display with a 12.3-inch touchscreen housed in a three-sided unit, which revolves the veneer to reveal the touchscreen as well as three elegant analogue dials.

At the heart of the new Continental GT sits an all-new, enhanced version of Bentley’s 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 TSI engine producing 635PS and 900Nm of maximum torque, mated for the first time to a dual-clutch eight-speed transmission. According to Bentley, the engine is positioned further back to improve weight distribution, resulting in driver-focused, dynamic performance.

Thanks to the new package, the car can accelerate from standstill to 100km/h in 3.7-seconds and achieve a top speed of 333km/h.

Complementing the new powertrain package is a new adaptive chassis which uses Bentley’s intelligent 48-volt Dynamic Ride System to ensure a responsive ride and exceptional handling and refinement in all road conditions. Thanks to the new chassis, the Continental GT is now 80kg lighter than the outgoing model.

And then, there is the new Active All-Wheel-Drive System which replaces the outgoing traditional 40:60 power delivery split between front and rear wheels respectively, instead varying the front-to-rear torque split dependent upon the driving situation. The vehicle will use rear-wheel drive as much as possible during normal driving for optimum efficiency and dynamic performance.

Based on the conditions and the driver’s behaviour, the system will send drive to the front axle as required. This reduces the understeer effect from fixed all-wheel drive, and increases driver engagement.

That being said, the new Continental GT is all set to make its global debut at the upcoming IAA Frankfurt Motor Show between 12 and 24 September, 2017.