Bentley Continental GT 2023: Release Date, Price.The phrase ‘best-selling model’ is a relative term when it comes to low volume luxury brands, but the Bentley Continental GT is indeed the British company’s most successful car, even out-stripping the new Bentayga SUV for sales.
Rivaling models such as the Aston Martin DB11 and Mercedes S-Class Coupé, the current Continental GT has been fairly well received but has been on sale since 2011 is looking decidedly long in the tooth. Time for an upgrade, then, with this all-new Continental GT.
Bentley Continental 2023 Engines
At launch, the Continental is only offered with a 6.0-litre W12 petrol engine, which Bentley describes as the most advanced engine of its kind in the world. Power has increased by 44bhp over the old car, to 626bhp, and the Continental can sprint to 62mph in 3.7 sec– 0.8 sec quicker than the outgoing W12 model. For reference, that’s also faster than most versions of the Porsche 911.
While the W12 will be the only model available when the car goes on sale, a cheaper 4.0-litre V8 variant will follow later– an engine shared with the existing Porsche Panamera Turbo.
A petrol-hybrid, expected to echo the system used in the Panamera 4 E-hybrid, is also planned and has an overall power of 456bhp. In this form, the Continental GT is expected to offer 31 miles of electric-only driving range. Unsurprisingly, this will be the cheapest version of the Continental GT to run.
Bentley Continental 2023 Technology
The new Continental is longer than the car it replaces, with more space between its front and rear axles, which equates to more room inside for passengers and luggage. There’s also Bentley Dynamic Ride, which adjusts the car’s roll and is claimed to improve ride and handling.
There are four driving modes: Sport, Comfort, Bentley, and Custom. Bentley is what the car maker thinks is the ultimate set-up for driving.
Bentley Continental 2023 Interior
The interior of the Continental is as luxurious as you ‘d expect, with plenty of expensive leather, veneers and hand-finished chrome details.
There are 18-way adjustable seats and smooth center panels on the seats (as opposed to the diamond-embossed leather found on the bolsters) to make them as comfortable as possible. This also enables the most effective cooling and heating, as well as massage functions.
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The biggest innovation inside is a rotating display in the center console. When you get in the car, it is a veneer finish; but when the engine is switched on, it rotates to reveal Bentley’s largest touchscreen yet– a 12.3 in the display that has been designed to be “akin to a modern mobile phone”.
A third side of the rotating display features three analog dials: outside temperature, a compass and chronometer.
The driver’s instrument panel behind the wheel is digital for the first time and a head-up display is an option. There are also a number of USB ports in the car and Apple CarPlay integration.
Bentley has also used laminated acoustic glass for the windscreen and side windows, which it claims reduces noise when you’re driving.
Two technology option packs are offered at launch: City Specification and Touring Specification. City includes hands-free boot opening, pedestrian warning, traffic sign recognition, automatic emergency braking and a top-view camera. Touring gets adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, active lane assist, a head-up display and night visions with an infrared camera.
21in wheels come as standard, plus two 22in lightweight forged alloy wheel options, one of which is part of Mulliner specification, Bentley’s personalization division. There are 17 exterior paint colors available, as well as eight veneers and 15 leather colors.
Bentley Continental 2023 Release Date and Price
The Continental in W12 guise will cost from ₤ 156,700, making it slightly more expensive than the current model, which costs ₤ 150,500. As with its luxury rival Rolls-Royce, most Continental GT buyers will customize their cars, pushing that price upwards.
A convertible version, the Continental GTC, will follow later in 2023.