Bentley’s Continental GT is one our favorite cars. Amazing in every way pretty much sums it up. That view carries through from the original model that launched in 2003 to the redesign that Bentley introduced last September.
It was almost hard to imagine the Continental GT being updated in a big way – it still seemed pretty fresh. Bentley seemed to agree with that for the most part too given its evolutionary, play-it-safe redesign. That kind of refresh is exactly what the doctor ordered.
The Continental series has been incredibly successful for Bentley, helping to greatly increase sales for the brand since its introduction. Bentley has only recently turned its attention to the upper end of the market with the Mulsanne.
Rolls-Royce has yet to field a direct competitor to the Continental GT, but with the Silver Ghost it has launched a salvo against the Flying Spur. We’re expecting a Rolls-Royce Continental GT-competitor to arrive based on the Silver Ghost’s platform soon enough.
While the Continental GT was introduced in 2003, other models in the lineup followed a bit later, such as the Flying Spur in 2005 and the GTC convertible in 2006. Quite a gap between the coupe and ensuing models, isn’t it? Such is the strategy for automotive manufacturers, especially in the upper strata of the market where models have a longer shelf life.
This time around though, the GTC convertible appears to be going first. Car and Driver says to expect the GTC to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, just one year after the coupe’s introduction. This is much better than the three-year wait time for the convertible last generation. Now lets see how long the redesigned Flying Spur sedan takes to launch!
One of the biggest changes for the Continental lineup this time around is the addition of a V-8 powered model. This will lower the price of entry a bit for Continental buyers, as well as offering something for those looking for something less powerful. It should help improve fuel economy numbers for Bentley as well. The V-8 model has yet to launch.
