2018 Bentley Continental GT To Be Launched This Month

The third generation Bentley Continental GT at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year and the model is all set to make its way to India on March 24, 2018. The 2018 Bentley Continental GT is the automaker's flagship grand tourer and represents "a paradigm shift in driving performance" over its predecessor, as per the company. With the all-new model, the Continental GT is aimed at those who are looking for a sporty drive without compromising on absolute luxury. The Continental GT will lock horns against the Aston Martin DB11 and Rolls Royce Wraith.

(The new Bentley Continental GT shares design cues from the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept)

Compared to the predecessor, the 2018 Bentley Continental GT offers more space for its four passengers and their opulent luggage. The design language comes from Bentley's EXP 10 Speed 6 concept shown in 2015, which the company says is "clearly Bentley and Continental". You can expect the best of luxury and motoring on the Bentley and the car offers LED Matrix technology borrowed from the Audis along with 21-inch or 22-inch lightweight, forged wheels. Attention to detail makes the Bentley one of the sought after auto brands, and the company offers over 17 colour options to choose from for the new Continental GT.

The new GT also now longer than the older model with the front wheels pushed further by 135 mm that make way for a longer bonnet and a lowered nose. The wheelbase has increased too by 110 mm, while the Continental GT is now wider by 25 mm. The car is also now lighter by 80 kg over the previous version.

(The opulent interior gets diamond-in-diamond stitching and the Bentley Rotating Display)

Inside, the 2018 Bentley Continental GT adopts the best in luxury with diamond-in-diamond' leather upholstery with 15 colour options for the hides and carpets, driver-focused instrument panel along with 'Bentley Rotating Display' (12.3-inch infotainment system), and a premium 2200 watt Naim audio system with 18 speakers.

Furthermore, the third-gen Bentley Continental GT now gets an adaptive chassis that uses Bentley's Dynamic Ride System which ensures stability in all conditions. The engine has also been positioned further back for improved weight distribution. As a result, the new Continental GT now boasts of a weight distribution of 53:47 (front to rear), as opposed to the earlier 56:44.

(The 2018 Bentley Continental GT will compete with the Aston Martin DB11 & Rolls Royce Wraith)

Coming to the matters of the heart, the 12-cylinder symphony continues to power the 2018 Bentley Continental GT. The grand tourer uses a 6.0-litre W12 TSI motor tuned to produce 626 bhp and 900 Nm of peak torque. The motor is paired with an ECU that is capable of making 300 million software calculations in one second. The W12 engine is paired to an 8-speed DSG transmission that helps the car sprint from 0-100 kmph in just 3.7 seconds, all the way till a top speed of 333 kmph.

(Prices for the 2018 Bentley Continental GT are expected to be around Rs. 4.5 crore)

Power is sent to all four wheels via the new Active All-Wheel Drive system, which is rear-biased for the most part but will send power to the front wheels depending on the terrain and traction required.

All that power and luxury doesn't come cheap and the 2018 Bentley Continental GT will be nowhere close to affordable. Expect the grand tourer to carry a sticker price of around Rs. 4.5 crore (ex-showroom) before you dig into the options list. The model will make its way to India a Completely Built Unit (CBU) from the car maker's facility in Crewe, England.