RE: Latest Pictures: The New Bentley Continental GT

[BlueMR2]

Hold on, you mean CGT doesn't stand for Chav Grand Tourer .

[Twincharged]

Wills2 said:

TXWRX said:

anybody else see the resemblance?

Yes the're both cars....that look nothing like each other

He's not completely wrong. The swage line to the left of the headlights is recognisable, and both end at the bottom of the bumper where they join up to the line going backwards along the bottom of the doors, giving a "bodykit" effect.

They also both have a flat area joining the right of this line, and to the right of that they share the bonnet line too: it starts at the "A" pillar, heads down the bonnet going slightly away from the bonnet where it joins the grille, then curves inwards down beside the number plate before curving underneath it.

[bobberz]

jake15919 said:

SWoll said:

jake15919 said:

fatboy b said:

Another busy day in the design studio

The Porsche designers must have given them some advice on the 'new' look.

Why would Bentley want to completely redesign a vehicle that has been as hugely successful for them as the Conti GT?

It makes total commercial sense to not mess with a winning formula too much and drive away your loyal customers.

There are enough manufacturers to choose from, if you dont like Bentleys styling then you buy an Aston instead, for example.

Look what happened to Subarus UK sales when they dramatically restyled the Impreza in 2000 and again in 2008....

Bentley released the Brookland which in my opinion was a stunning car that screamed Bentley.The Mulsanne looks a bit odd but it is clearly a Bentley. The Conti and Flying Spur on the other hand look dull and uninspiring. They look like early A8s/ VW Passats.

You mention Aston. Astons all seem similar but have the advantage of being stunningly good looking. The Conti on the other hand isn't, and wont be in the immediate future judging by the Bentley website.

Look at Rolls Royce. The Phantom range and Ghost are modern, interesting, classy and clearly top of the tree. They are Rolls Royce. The Continental range on the other hand are not Bentley.

Edited by jake15919 on Tuesday 7th September 11:39

Surely you jest? The Phantom is merely a VERY, VERY heavy brick with a V12 engine. Their design studio is apparently only equipped with set-squares.
If it didn't have the flying lady on the bonnet, no one would touch it.

That said, at least it's different to the previous generation (Silver Seraph).

Bentley have been studiously going over Porsche and Aston's playbook. I don't mind Porsche's 60 year old design because they make such insane cars as the GT2 and GT3 RS. I don't mind Aston doing the same because they are absolutely beautiful. However, simply changing the size and position of the headlights and slightly tweaking the front fascia is not designing a "new generation".

[Denorth]

Twincharged said:

Wills2 said:

TXWRX said:

anybody else see the resemblance?

Yes the're both cars....that look nothing like each other

He's not completely wrong. The swage line to the left of the headlights is recognisable, and both end at the bottom of the bumper where they join up to the line going backwards along the bottom of the doors, giving a "bodykit" effect.

They also both have a flat area joining the right of this line, and to the right of that they share the bonnet line too: it starts at the "A" pillar, heads down the bonnet going slightly away from the bonnet where it joins the grille, then curves inwards down beside the number plate before curving underneath it.

and apart from all above said: four allows and black round tyres each, not to mention headlights, handles, mirrors, shock absorbers etc...

[Macboy]

There's no change to the platform at all - so the Panamera rumour is just a Crewe pipedream for now probably until a full replacement of the car in another 5 years. No change to the glass (and remember the CGT preceded the DB9 so surely the DB9's window profile looks like this car) and little change to the W12 powertrain so this is a very slight makeover indeed. The new V8 will undoubtedly be Audi sourced so probably a derivative of the R8 engine I would guess as there aren't any other VW group engines that would make sense. As for the interior, it looks like a case of adding an up to date Nav screen to remove all the buttons and carrying over the basic wing profile of the dash with some new instruments which is hardly a significant change. Nothing wrong with the old interior - it was a very nice place to be and tidying is probably all it needed to get rid of the Phaeton buttons (long since gone on the Phaeton ironically).

[Macboy]

Oh yes and it never ran on an A8 platform - they wish - it's Phaeton underpinnings on the original CGT or it wouldn't weigh more than a Range Rover sport.

[sjn2004]

There another site now,

http://www.continentalgt.bentleymotors.com/

I'd say its rather a facelift than a "new" model.

[Rich_W]

I actually quite like the sharpening tweeks.

Not sure I have any desire to own one mind.

[bobthemonkey]

Macboy said:

There's no change to the platform at all - so the Panamera rumour is just a Crewe pipedream for now probably until a full replacement of the car in another 5 years. No change to the glass (and remember the CGT preceded the DB9 so surely the DB9's window profile looks like this car) and little change to the W12 powertrain so this is a very slight makeover indeed. The new V8 will undoubtedly be Audi sourced so probably a derivative of the R8 engine I would guess as there aren't any other VW group engines that would make sense. As for the interior, it looks like a case of adding an up to date Nav screen to remove all the buttons and carrying over the basic wing profile of the dash with some new instruments which is hardly a significant change. Nothing wrong with the old interior - it was a very nice place to be and tidying is probably all it needed to get rid of the Phaeton buttons (long since gone on the Phaeton ironically).

I suspect the V8 will either be

1)a stock-ish Audi petrol V8 with everything in the VAG engine shop bolted on. Think TFSI per bank with VTGs as a minimum - afterall without the VTGs BMW are getting suitable numbers out a similar setup for the F10 M5. Heck you could even go down a superturbocharged per bank approach. Also you could well be able to use the 8 speed ZF box. That alone can get you about a 10% economy boost and allows for a quite easy mild hybrid setup I believe, or

2)the most refined diesel V8 anyone has produced. Again, VAG has enough bits in the parts bin to iron out almost every undesirable trait. You have common rail injection, VTGs (R10/15 heritage) on the performance side of things, active engine mounts to reduce vibration (997.2) active noise cancellation (the world and his dog seem to be doing this - just write Harman a cheque) and some kind of advanced ali block, perhaps with plasma lined bores to keep the weight off.

Edited by bobthemonkey on Tuesday 7th September 20:58

[Macboy]

Can't imagine a diesel - maybe for the Flying Spur but not for the flagship CGT at this point. As for anything special in a petrol V8 I agree it will be a straight lift from R8/A8 with a different Bentley tune because they clearly have little or no money or they would have done more with the redesign than they have.

[Matt UK]

qube_TA said:

poor man's 300C

I wonder if there's a 'Chrysler grille' option

[sjn2004]

Macboy said:

Can't imagine a diesel - maybe for the Flying Spur but not for the flagship CGT at this point. As for anything special in a petrol V8 I agree it will be a straight lift from R8/A8 with a different Bentley tune because they clearly have little or no money or they would have done more with the redesign than they have.

On the website it states Flexifuel, runs on petrol and/or bioethanol from the same tank.

[Kawasicki]

Looks like a nice revamp of a great car. The styling changes have added some attitude. Losing 65kg is a major bonus. I'm impressed.

The old GT coupe was a lot of fun to drive, you could cruise at high speed with rock solid confidence and huge comfort, or throw it around on a/b roads like a 560bhp hot hatch. On snow the car is just crazy fast and composed, it would eat a 911 turbo for breakfast.

[Captain Speaking]

Dear God, the poor old girl is squinting...

Let's be honest, they used all their budge on the Mulsanne and there was precious little remaining for the CGT facelift.

[jimroyale]

Kawasicki said:

Looks like a nice revamp of a great car. The styling changes have added some attitude. Losing 65kg is a major bonus. I'm impressed.

The old GT coupe was a lot of fun to drive, you could cruise at high speed with rock solid confidence and huge comfort, or throw it around on a/b roads like a 560bhp hot hatch. On snow the car is just crazy fast and composed, it would eat a 911 turbo for breakfast.

Losing 65kg of a near 3 ton car in what, 10 years? and making a few very subtle styling changes, pathetic really. Bentley employ hundreds of development engineers, designer etc. IMHO they should either not bother "developing" a good car and save millions, or do something exciting. When I saw the original car for thr first time, it had wow factor. This by comparisson is a bit like that new big mini. Playing it safe. st.

[pastrana72]

Looks like they have ditched the recessed instrument dials, for easier to read ones, which is cool.

[mybrainhurts]

Beefmeister said:

Unf said:

Liquid Knight said:

Does the Wayne Rooney edition have enough room to hide a prostitute in the boot?

Cheers - I now have a laptop covered in tea........

I assume because you dropped your cup of tea in horror at how bad the joke was?

No, it's because he, too, has a prostitute in the boot...

[will261058]

I wouldnt mind one at all, old or new.

[georgetuk]

How utterly snooze worthy.

That is playing it safe, I had to check what the difference was. Not sure if I would want to buy one if it looked just like the old one, don't people with £100,000-odd to spend on cars want to show it off. Maybe not, i am unlikely to ever know!

[qube_TA]

Matt UK said:

qube_TA said:

poor man's 300C

I wonder if there's a 'Chrysler grille' option

Would be fantastic if someone bought a GT and slapped 300C grilles on it, would be a massive fk you!