The Bentley Continental GT is the definition of a grand-touring car
Not only is the 2021 Bentley Continental GT the definition of a grand-touring car, it wears that moniker proudly at the end of its name. No matter if you choose the hardtop coupe or softtop convertible, the sonorous V-8 or silken V-12, the Continental GT will make you feel like a celebrity on every outing. Unfortunately, you might need to be a celebrity to afford its six-figure price. For that considerable outlay, Bentley decks out the Continental GT’s cabin with fine leather, genuine wood, metal accents, and all manner of modern connectivity features. Where the Continental GT really shines, though, is on the road, where it can flex its ample power and demonstrate its near perfect balance of comfort and athleticism.
Bentley has made only a few changes to the Conti GT for the 2021 model year. Chief among them is a new panoramic glass roof that’s available on the V-8-powered coupe. Otherwise, the grand-touring two-door receives an updated steering wheel design and three new colors: Viridian, Patina, and Snow Quartz.
Curiously, we prefer the least expensive of the Continental GT’s four quite-expensive models, the Continental GT V8 coupe. Bentley’s V-8 is a finely polished gem of an engine that gives up a touch of peak horsepower to the W-12 but makes for a coupe that’s every bit as quick in real-world conditions. It’s only at very high speeds that the W-12 engine’s increased horsepower makes a difference. And while we like the wind in our hair as much as the next guy, we’d choose the coupe because, to our eye, the arching roofline ties together the car’s style in a truly elegant way.
Updated versions of the existing V-8 and W-12 engines that powered the previous-generation Continental GT provide plenty of power. Our testing revealed that the V-8, which makes 542 horses, can launch the coupe to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. The more expensive W-12 engine produces 626 horsepower and can motivate a coupe to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds. Both use an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that snaps off super-quick but smooth gearshifts. Customers can order the coupe or convertible with either engine. And all Continental GTs come with an all-wheel-drive system as standard.
More at Car & Driver: https://www.caranddriver.com/bentley/continental-gt-2021