The new Bentley Continental GT has finally been launched in Malaysia. Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait for pricing, which has yet to be finalised. Bentley Kuala Lumpur provided an estimated price of RM 1.9 million excluding taxes. Deliveries are slated to commence towards the end of the second quarter of the year.

Crewe’s latest model was inspired by the well-received EXP 10 Speed 6 concept, with a sportier, more lithe look brought along by the rejigged proportions. Compared to its predecessor, the new car is 44 mm longer (4,850 mm), 10 mm wider (1,954 mm) and one millimetre taller (1,405 mm). The renewed design has been achieved through a new platform designed for Bentley and shared with the latest Porsche Panamera, which has enabled the massive 6.0 litre twin-turbo W12 to be pushed behind the front wheels, pulling the latter some 135 mm forwards (the wheelbase has only grown 105 mm, to 2,851 mm). Thus, the bonnet has now been made longer and lower, giving it a proper GT look.


Details are important for any luxury product, and designers have paid particular attention to even the tiniest components. The matrix LED headlights, for example, features a criss-cross design inspired by cut crystal glasses, and in conjunction with the optional welcome sequence gradually illuminate as you approach the car. The effect is mirrored on the tail lights, which are now shaped like ellipses to match the twin tailpipes.

Inside, the Continental GT continues to use a twin-wing design that echoes the shape of the Bentley badge, but it has been redeveloped to house the new technology on board. The upper layer is dominated by a digital instrument display and a new 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen that features optional Apple CarPlay connectivity, navigation with Google point of interest search and real-time traffic information, as well as Private eCall that provides instant access to emergency services. The main centre display can be hidden via the Bentley Rotating Display. 


To fill in the newfound quietness, buyers can choose between three sound system options, including a base 10-speaker 650-watt system, a mid-range 16-speaker 1,500-watt Bang & Olufsen BeoSonic option and the top-of-the-range Naim system with a whopping 2,200 watts of output, 18 speakers and Active Bass Transducers built into the front seats, plus eight sound modes to choose from.

Elsewhere, there are two technology option packs on offer, these being the City Specification and the Touring Specification. The former adds hands-free boot opening, pedestrian warning, traffic-sign recognition and city braking, while the latter throws in adaptive cruise control with traffic-jam assist, active lane assist, a heads-up display, night vision with an infrared camera, and pre-sense braking.


Customisation options are aplenty, with the full palette containing 17 standard exterior colours (up to 70 available in the extended range), 15 carpet options, eight veneers (plus four dual-veneer options) and 15 leather choices. Two 21-inch alloy wheel designs are provided as standard, with 22-inch lightweight forged items also available – as is a hand-finish option that gives a twisted polished finish.

Those looking for a sportier look for their car can choose the Mulliner Driving Specification, which features the larger wheels, “diamond-in-diamond” quilting, embroidered Bentley emblems, additional veneer options, sports pedals, an indented leather headliner and even a jewelled finish on the fuel filler. You can also personalise the front and rear stitching as well as the side sill plates, and as always Bentley’s Mulliner bespoke division can tailor your car to your heart’s desire.


With all that out of the way, let’s talk about performance. The aforementioned W12, all new from the Bentayga SUV and fitted with direct injection, produces 626 hp at 6,000 rpm and a tree-pulling 900 Nm of torque from 1,350 rpm to 4,500 rpm. These figures are 44 hp and a massive 180 Nm up over the outgoing model, and enable the big two-door – still weighing north of two tonnes, mind – to sprint from zero to 100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds (0.8 seconds quicker) before hitting a top speed that is 14 km/h higher, at 333 km/h.

At the same time, the use of cylinder deactivation and start/stop – which can switch the engine off even when coasting to a stop – cuts fuel consumption to 12.2 litres per 100 km. That may still sound like a lot, but it’s a significant reduction from the 14.2 litres of petrol the previous mill guzzled every 100 km. Carbon dioxide emissions have also been slashed some 16% to 278 grams per kilometre.


For the first time on a Bentley, the new Continental GT uses an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, with the engine’s dual-mass flywheel replacing the torque converter. There’s a Sport Launch mode that uses careful clutch pressure sensing and pre-loading to provide quicker acceleration during a race start.