2019 Bentley Continental GT Flaunts Stunning New Stance, Cabin at IAA

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WS8A6260

The new Continental is a smash hit.  The live debut in Frankfurt shows a car even more stunning than the photos suggested.  Slinky lowness for the hood and a chopped overhang blend flawlessly with butched-up fenders and squatter rear end.  The whole machine seems just compressed downward — in the best ways.  The cabin is also shockingly sexy and opulent.

[Updated 9.13.17 with 14 new photos]

This is it ladies and gentleman!

The big one!

Bentley’s all-new Conti GT platform is ready for primetime and will make its first appearance in a few weeks at the Frankfurt IAA.  This is the long-rumored, Porsche-derived platform with the engine located much farther back than before.  The new layout also makes room for the latest in double-clutch tech.  And eight-speed PDK variant here maximizes all that power from the W12TT up front.  The raw figures of 3.6s and 207MPH as a 60-mph sprint and top speed are good, if not world-shattering improvements over the predecessors.

But the dynamics of this chassis and how the Conti GT delivers that pace will be all new for 2019.  Expect much more balance and — whisper it — perhaps even a rear-drive V8S option down the road.

On the design front, the new Conti GT has a much, much lower hoodline than before.  Radical shrinkage up front also takes most of the front overhang out of the equation.  A more swept, racy profile helps the new Conti GT look like a hardcore two-seater — all while still packing some room back there.  We’ll have to see if this backseat is now 911-sized..

As ever, this platform will serve under the upcoming cabriolet and updated FLying Spur eventually.

As Bentley has already released a few 2018 model-year cars, we assume this new Conti GT will wear a 2019 badge.  The first cars may arrive to owners around March of 2018, however.

2019 Bentley Continental GT

THE ALL-NEW BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT – THE DEFINITION OF LUXURY GRAND TOURING

29/08/17
  • Third generation of the peerless Continental GT: the definitive luxury Grand Tourer
  • A statement of true luxury: bold, sculptured exterior design
  • Innovative luxurious interior offers unrivalled Grand Touring refinement
  • Designed, engineered and handcrafted in Britain
  • Seamless integration of handcrafted, natural materials and cutting-edge technology
  • Revolutionary Bentley Rotating Display and digital instrument panel
  • Enhanced version of renowned 6.0-litre W12 TSI engine delivers
    635 PS (626 bhp) and 900 Nm (664 lb.ft.)
  • 0-100 km/h in 3.7 seconds (0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds); top speed
    of 333 km/h (207 mph)
  • Dual-clutch, eight-speed transmission for faster, more efficient performance
  • Video News Release available, access details in notes to editors

(Crewe, 29 August 2017) Bentley Motors is today announcing full details of its new Continental GT, the definitive Grand Tourer.

Designed, engineered and handcrafted in Britain, the new third-generation Bentley Continental GT combines spirited, focused performance with handcrafted luxury and cutting-edge technology, to create the finest Grand Tourer ever produced.

Wolfgang Dürheimer, chairman and chief executive of Bentley Motors, said: “Bentley has been at the forefront of luxury Grand Touring for nearly one hundred years. The new, third-generation Continental GT is the pinnacle of our design and engineering achievements and marks the next step in Bentley’s journey.

“We are the world leader in luxury mobility and our products and services define new luxury in the automotive world. The new Continental GT encapsulates our desire to innovate as well as celebrate our heritage and take the Bentley ownership experience to the next, unparalleled level.”

At the heart of the new Continental GT sits an all-new, enhanced version of Bentley’s renowned 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12 TSI engine, mated, for the first time, to a dual-clutch eight-speed transmission, for faster, more efficient gear changes.

A new, technically advanced, adaptive chassis uses Bentley’s intelligent 48-volt Dynamic Ride System to ensure a responsive ride and exceptional handling and refinement in all road conditions. The new system controls ride comfort and lateral roll, cushioning passengers from excessive movement as well as making the car feel effortlessly precise.

The muscular exterior design, created using revolutionary technology, results in a lightweight, yet stiff, body. The engine is positioned further back to improve weight distribution, resulting in driver-focused, dynamic performance.

Offering four seats and improved luggage capacity for genuine real-world usability, the new Bentley Continental GT’s luxurious cabin is packed with exquisite details such as a new ‘diamond in diamond’ leather design. In addition, significant work has gone into harmonising the extensive portfolio of 15 colours across hides and carpets.

The new Continental GT also showcases major evolutions in Bentley’s unique application of technology. An advanced, fully digital, driver-focused instrument panel and Bentley Rotating Display for the driver are among the suite of innovations. The latter features an impressive 12.3” touchscreen housed in a three-sided unit, which revolves the veneer to reveal the touchscreen as well as three elegant analogue dials.

The interior design of the Continental GT is tailored specifically to the modern luxury customer, with unrivalled attention to detail that creates an effortless ownership experience. The cabin seamlessly integrates cutting-edge onboard technology with the finest handcrafted natural materials. The result is an exquisite, harmonised, connected and luxurious space.

The new Continental GT will make its global debut at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show between 12 and 24 September, 2017.