Bentley Continental GT has been around for quite some time now. It first debuted in 2003 and bought the British marque into modern day luxury car building. Now 15 years down the line, the Continental GT is set to enter into a new generation. The Crewe-based carmaker has been carrying out extensive testing on the new Continental and in our most recent spy images, this prototype wears a lot less camo than before.
If the looks of the EXP 10 Speed 6 is anything to go by, the new Continental is going to be quite attractive to look at. The design study of the EXP 10 Speed 6 showcased on the 2015 Geneva stage will make its way into the new Conti GT, as can be seen from the photos of the test mule. The design on the new Conti will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. Even under all the cladding, the hallmark Bentley design is evident.
The twin-barrel headlamp and sleek twin-LED strip tail light from the EXP 10 will complement the imposing mesh grille of the new Continental GT. There are shorter overhangs both fore and aft, and the curvaceous silhouette has been carried forward. The body shell is expected to be made from a hybrid-material structure of high-strength steel, reinforcing the aluminium body, as seen on the new Bentayga.
The car will be built around an all-new MSB platform that currently underpins the new Panamera. This was the reason why the earlier test mule of the new Continental GT was wearing Panamera’s guise. Thanks to the new platform, the new Continental GT will lose a large amount of weight and is expected to tip the scale just around the two tonne mark.
Under the hood, the GT will be fitted with an all-new 6.0-litre 600bhp W12 engine from the Bentayga. Apart from that, a twin turbo 4.0-litre V8 will also be offered but with a hike in power to produce an excess of 520bhp. Additionally, a V6 plug-in hybrid is also on the cards, after the Bentayga spearheads the electrification push for the British carmaker. The V8 diesel from Bentayga is an unlikely prospect, though.
Expect the new Continental GT to make its debut at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. When it goes on sale next year, the Conti GT will take on the fight to the likes of McLaren 570GT, Aston Martin DB11 and Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupe.
