Off to Bentley

The other day, I went for a test drive in the Bentley Continental GT. Since we’re thinking about replacing our Panamera next year, we were chatting about “what should our next car be?” and my husband said he was “interested in the Continental GT,” so we decided to go test drive it together.

Actually, not long ago, I had the chance to drive the Bentley Bentayga briefly. The Bentayga felt like a smoother, more refined version of the Cayenne, which really surprised me, so I was very curious about what the Continental GT would be like.

On the morning of the test drive, it had rained quite a bit the day before, but by the time we arrived at the dealer, the rain had stopped. Thank goodness…!

The Bentley showroom atmosphere was completely different from Porsche’s. It felt like stepping into a luxury watch boutique—clean, elegant, and pristine.

The sales staff didn’t feel like typical car salespeople; they had the demeanor of concierges at a luxury hotel. That’s Bentley for you…!

While they were preparing the test car, I chatted a bit with the salesperson.

The Continental GT comes in W12 (12-cylinder) and V8 models, but the V8 won’t be delivered until next year. By the way, the W12 model has a subtle “12” embossed near the lower side panel.

The V8 sports a V8 badge.

Also, the exhaust tips differ between the W12 and V8. The W12 has oval-shaped exhausts, while the V8 features quad exhausts.

When I mentioned, “I always imagined the W12 would have quad exhausts,” I was told that the oval exhaust is a Bentley tradition, so the W12 carries this signature design.

Since Bentley is now part of the Volkswagen Group, they share many components within the group. Safety features have also been significantly enhanced compared to previous models.

The platform is the same MSB large rear-wheel-drive architecture used by the Panamera. From behind, it somehow reminds me of the Panamera.

The trunk is a bit smaller since it’s a coupe (358L vs. Panamera’s 500L), but there have been cases where customers who couldn’t fit their golf bags in a Mercedes-Benz S-Class coupe trunk found that they fit perfectly in the Continental GT, which influenced their purchase decision.

Test Driving the Continental GT

Finally, the moment we’d been waiting for: the test drive. The test car was the “Continental GT W12.”

Here are the main specs:

・6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12 TSI
・Maximum output: 635 PS
・Maximum torque: 900 Nm
・8-speed dual-clutch transmission
・3-chamber air suspension, CDC
・0-100 km/h in 3.7 seconds
・Top speed: 333 km/h
・Length: 4,880 mm, Width: 1,965 mm, Height: 1,405 mm, Curb weight: 2,260 kg
・Optional 22-inch wheels

I heard the previous generation had very heavy doors, so some people who knew that might find the doors on this model “too light and lacking,” but since I never experienced the previous model, I felt the doors had a nice solid weight.

When you open the door, you’ll notice a special design on the floor mats commemorating Bentley’s 100th anniversary, limited to this year.

My husband drove, and I experienced the ride from the passenger seat.

Once underway, as expected from Bentley, the ride was very smooth, much like the Bentayga. When going over bumps, there was almost no jolt; it just glided over them.

However, I had imagined a Bentley luxury coupe would feel very soft and plush, but compared to that, the suspension felt quite firm and composed.

Maybe it’s because this is Bentley’s sportiest model.

The seats and interior quality were truly impressive. Luxury radiates throughout, and it’s simply stunning. The interior is traditional, profound, and sophisticated—so beautiful that I found myself gazing at it often (laughs).

Being able to drive in such a magnificent space is surely one of the Continental GT’s biggest appeals.

The passenger seat ride was very smooth and comfortable, but the seat was tighter than I expected. I had imagined wide, plush seats like those in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class coupe, but the interior is designed to be tighter than the S-Class coupe.

Although it’s a luxury car, the seats have a sporty feel, which felt natural and even comfortable to me since I usually drive sport models.

After some time driving, my impression was that “the Continental GT is very similar to the Panamera.” Of course, the Panamera is definitely more of a sports car, but

If I were switching from a Panamera, I’d want a luxury model that’s completely different. If it feels too similar, I’d end up missing the Panamera.

That’s what I said, and the conversation turned to “then how about the Continental GT?” But since it was sportier than I imagined, I felt I’d constantly compare it to the Panamera every time I drove it. (It’s natural since they share many components.)

The Continental GT is, of course, an amazing car, and if I didn’t know the luxury sports Panamera, I’d probably fall in love with it instantly.

But now that I know the Panamera, my conclusion was, “the Continental GT is quite similar, the Panamera is more agile and fun to drive, the rear seats are roomier, so I prefer the Panamera after all.”

I’m really sorry for being so biased toward the Panamera… (-_-)

Next page → What did my husband think of the Continental GT!?