Bentley Kuala Lumpur held a preview of the Continental GT First Edition model
to selected individuals and media. Essentially a Continental GT with some
special touches and a few options bundled in as standard, the limited edition
variant is said to be the ultimate expression of Bentley’s grand tourer,
specially curated by its design team.
Only those with a keen eye will be able to spot a
First Edition from the outside, with telltale cues limited to the Union Jack
fender badges. The exterior design of the Continental GT has been otherwise
left untouched – and given that the latest third-generation model is arguably
the best looking yet, that’s not such a bad thing.
More sets the car apart on the inside, starting with
the First Edition-branded tread plates, a badge on the dashboard and contrast
stitching on the “diamond-in-diamond” quilted leather upholstery. The car also
comes as standard with dual veneer trim, with four wood options – Tamo Ash,
Liquid Amber, Dark Stained Madrona and Dark Fiddleback Eucalyptus – paired with
Grand Black that is exclusive to the First Edition.
Another standard feature on the First Edition is the
Bentley Rotating Display, which enables the driver to switch between the
12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and a set of analogue gauges – all hidden by
a wood veneer panel when the engine is switched off. Mood lighting and
illuminated door sills – available in a number of colours – are also part of
the equipment list.
The base 650-watt, 10-speaker sound system remains,
but you can also specify a 1,500-watt, 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo as
an optional extra. The car you see here is equipped with the top-of-the-range
Naim system with 18 speakers and a massive 2,200 watt output.
A number of equipment packages that would have cost
a fortune on the standard Continental GT have been thrown into the mix. This
includes the Mulliner Driving Specification, which features 22-inch lightweight
forged alloy wheels, sports pedals and jewelled-finish oil and fuel filler
caps.
Meanwhile, the City Specification adds hands-free
boot opening, pedestrian warning, traffic sign recognition and city braking,
while the Touring Specification throws in adaptive cruise control with traffic
jam assist, active lane assist, a head-up display, night vision with an
infrared camera and pre-sense braking.
The mechanicals are untouched, so the First Edition
retains the 6.0 litre twin-turbocharged, direct-injected W12 that produces 626
hp at 6,000 rpm and a tree-pulling 900 Nm of torque from 1,350 rpm to 4,500
rpm. A new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission sends that power to all four
corners via an active all-wheel drive system with torque vectoring through
braking.
So equipped, the big two-door – still weighing north
of two tonnes, despite being 85 kg lighter than before – sprints from
zero to 100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds before hitting a top speed of 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.
Suspension is handled by front double wishbones and
rear multilinks, with standard air suspension and 48-volt fully-adaptive roll control
first seen on the Bentayga. Bentley calls it Dynamic Ride, and uses electronic
actuators to control the anti-roll bar on each axle, improving both handling
and ride comfort.
Last but not least, the pricing. While the standard
Continental GT starts from RM 1.9 million before options, GST, road tax and
registration, a fully decked out First Edition –
which comes with options such as the aforementioned Naim sound system – will
set you back an estimated RM 2.15 million.
Cr : Paultan
