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Bentley 6.0
Continental GT Mulliner Coupe Road Test
This is the car
you want your ex to see you driving.
This is the car that clearly asks, “Who’s Your Daddy?”
This is the car that makes Aston Martins look sissified.
This is the car that one-ups everything else on the road.
This is the car with an exhaust that makes Harley Davidson jealous.
This is the car that makes people want to apologize when they leave a
fingerprint.
This is the car that makes $6000 a month lease payments seem logical.
This is the car.
Okay, we only had it for the
weekend, but we strongly believe at love at first sight. We are not talking
logic here, we are talking about an affective domain easily swayed by such
events as people coming out of building, stores, even homes to lust over its
sculptured lines and beg just to peer into its leather coiffed interior.
So, the big question after how much it costs is how does it drive? Well, it is
so user friendly that it is almost disappointing. There is almost no wind noise,
the acceleration is linear, the exhaust note is consistent, and only a quick
look at the 200 mph speedometer reveals that you are always going faster than
you think. Only the uncharacteristic loud drone of the huge tires mars an
otherwise mild journey only marred by less noble vehicles, archaic speed laws,
and overwhelming awareness that this is why doctors leave the profession for
real estate so they afford one.
Aston Martin is the most natural competition for the Bentley. Having snuck in a
few times at automobile dealers to savior the Aston Martin reveals that it is
sportier to drive, but not as fast or as solid as the Bentley. We are not alone
as there are waiting lines for the Bentley and used cars are selling for more
than new ones. As for Aston Martin, there is no wait.
Naysayers are going to say that
the parent company, Volkswagen, merely put together off the shelf parts to
create the Bentley. The German company already has a V12 engine, all wheel
drive, and a variety of other items on Volkswagen products such as its Phaeton.
However, just because you have a dress belonging to Jessica Simpson doesn’t mean
that when you wear it you are going to perform or even look like her.
We contacted several Bentley dealers to get the feel of what it would be like to
buy a GT. This was especially interesting in light of the fact that Bentley’s
CEO Franz-Josef Paefgen said, "It is not a question of how many we could make,
but how many we will choose to make." The results of our dealer visits were good
and bad. The good part is that Bentley is offering 16 different leathers, 27
paint colors, eight types of woods, and one attractive option called the
Mulliner. That option costs $8000 (US) and for that you get 20-inch 2-piece,
bright, alloy wheels with Advan Sport 275/35 R20 tires, drilled alloy foot
pedals and footrest, a gear lever finished in knurled chrome and cowhide,
two-tone leather and veneer combinations, diamond quilted leather seat facings,
doors and rear quarter panels, an embroidered ‘Bentley’ marquee emblem on the
back of the seats, and more.
All Bentley’s have voice
activation for in-car telephone usage in six languages, the option to delete the
privacy telephone handset currently mounted in the front passenger armrest, and
carpets and seatbelts specified to match either the main or secondary hide. You
can even select your thread color. The bad news was that there simply is no
inventory and special orders could take longer than six months.
Not everything was to our liking with the Bentley. The headlights weren’t as
powerful as we would have expected. The interior lighting was not very good and
the reception on the radio was only par without an impressive range of tones
when compared to less expensive luxury vehicles. The spare tire was a donut and
we think that tire wear with the optional rims is not going to be 20,000 miles
at best. Having to use the center-mounted monitor requires time to use, as it is
not intuitive. The numerous switches that control the seats also require
significant learning time. The rear trunk mechanism does not raise the lid up
far enough to get your hand under without getting it dirty on the rear bumper.
Rear and side visibility is limited. There is also road noise from the extremely
wide, low profile Advan Sport 275/35 R20 tires. Finally, the column mounted
transmission control paddles and the turn signal are easy to mix up. Almost all
of these simply require getting time to master and the others could be easily
corrected.
Overall, we doubt anyone would
pass on this GT once his or her senses heard the engine, smelled the leather,
and absorbed the power.
Enough of the good feeling, nice looking, boy I wish I was rich verbiage. How
does it feel driving a AUD$375,000 Bentley on a daily basis? To be exact,
like nothing else. The power is best described as confined. You have 552
horsepower from a V12 engine, two intercooled turbochargers, a silent shifting
six speed automatic transmission with the best placed steering column mounted
paddle shifters ever, a self leveling suspension that you can also set for
different heights as well as a luxury ride or sporty one. In addition, you have
what are probably the world’s largest production disc brakes at your command and
all wheel drive. No other car can top that list, but even if the could you are
driving a drop-dead courageous coupe that makes a Jaguar XKR look kittish.
It is a tribute to good engine
design that when you satisfy the 20 or so gallon tank with premium fuel, you
have a car that doesn’t mind the least wadding through traffic, idling at a
malfunctioning stoplights, or toying with the far edges of its 200 mph
speedometer. Except for the tire noise from the huge rubber that encircles the
optional 20-inch rims, this is a quiet ride and a good friend even to those who
are not familiar with clipping an apex, drafting, or forced induction.
Dad’s views: I asked Bentley to sell me this car. Either they thought I
was kidding or they did a credit check, because I didn’t hear back from them.
The reality is that this is a stunning vehicle to drive, ride in, or just
admire. Its power output tops a Dodge Viper’s 500 horsepower and does so in a
much more civil manner. The Bentley creates 552 bhp at 6,100 rpm. Even more
remarkable is the fact that this maximum torque of 480 lb ft is developed from
just 1,600 all the way through 6,000 rpm. In other words, this Bentley is always
on call.
Anyone with enough cash can
build a powerful engine, but making it easy to live with is another matter. To
help in this regard Bentley’s all-independent air suspension offers four
different ride suspension settings that you can control from a center console
panel. However, be warned, that when you travel over 110 mph you cannot raise
the Bentley’s suspension. Just thought you would like to know. There are also
controls that enable you to raise or lower the rear spoiler, set the temperature
to heat the seats, and a driver’s information center. The reality is that
between the variable-effort steering, the four-wheel-drive system, the air
suspension that lowers the front of the car to counteract high-speed lift, the
extensive underbody aerodynamics, the rear spoiler, and the 20-inch rims this GT
truly lives up to the Bentley tradition of visceral thrilling vehicles encased
in classic bodywork. The potent engine is a plus, certainly, but not this GT’s
claim to fame. That resides in it packaging and ease of driving.
In town the Bentley is
cooperative. However, since the rear view window is small and the side view
mirrors have limited size, and you sit fairly low in the GT, it takes a while to
feel comfortable in such an expensive vehicle. It draws a lot of attention so
you have to be acutely award of other drivers drifting into your lane as they
stare at this moveable feast of power in motion. I found myself accelerating a
bit to make sure there wasn’t another vehicle in the blind spot created by the
large B pillars.
Your first real treat of what separates a man from his money is when you pull
onto a highway entry ramp. You glance at the traffic, see an open spot, press on
the petrol pedal, and grab cowhide. The shifts are impeccable. There is nothing
to alert you to what you have done except a well-mannered growl as the twin
turbochargers go to work. You are instantly over the speed limit. Fortunately,
the Bentley is equipped with huge (15.9-inch-diameter front rotors and 13.2-inch
rear discs) brakes that can take the edge off your exuberance pronto. If you
want you can get to 60 mph in less than five seconds without any effort at all.
That places the Bentley is sports car territory and those lesser vehicles aren’t
toting around 5000 pounds. Once on the highway it is just a matter of living
with gas mileage that seldom goes about 15 mpg and avoiding selecting the
highest sport setting which puts your kidneys in jeopardy on any but the
smoothest of roads or racetracks.
Is it worth 12 times the price
of a new Kia Sportage? It depends where you live and how you want to use it. As
much fun as it to drive this Bentley, to use its perfectly placed paddle
shifters to move through traffic effortless, and to absorb the attention others
are drooling on you, the bottom line is that it potential is largely unharvested
on heavily congested roads. If you want it for sex appeal or to ensure a
premiere-parking place at every restaurant and hotel in the world, it is
certainly worth it. But, let’s face it, as my uncle always said, if you have to
ask how much it costs you can’t afford one and so for most of us it is just fun
knowing that this Bentley is something we can aspire too. I certainly will.
Mom’s view: Nothing new around The Car Family house as the keys to the
Bentley were hidden for most of the testing period. When they were located-- men
sleep so soundly after a good meal-- this is what I found. There are sonar
sensors that seemingly surround the car and alert you when things are too close.
It can be turned off, but I wouldn’t. You can’t see the front end and it looks
to me like that handsome grill is just sitting out there waiting to be clipped.
The 12-cylinder engine, with its DOHC 48-valve, aluminum block and heads, port
fuel injection, has the ability to push your back firmly into the seats. I could
not get enough of the way it sounded as the exhaust straddled the line between
reedy and brutish. Someone should be knighted for that. And, I never got tired
of knowing that there were only a handful of cars in the entire world that could
accelerate with the Bentley and few, if any of them, could have a trunk full of
groceries and dry cleaning during the process.
Safety wise, there are twin
front, side and curtain airbags, and active front head restraints to reduce
whiplash, four-wheel drive, electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes,
electronic brakeforce distribution, and exceptional maneuverability. When I
called our insurance person to ask what class of rates the Bentley was in there
was a lengthy pause before he responded with, “Would the be used for business or
pleasure?” You know, I couldn’t answer him.
There is room for two adults in front with plenty of leg space. Two small adults
can sit in back if those in front cooperate. The trunk has a low lift over and
even a ski pass through in fact this could easily be the fastest ski car ever.
Everyone has their own cupholder, but those in front are difficult to use as
they are under the armrests. The air vents take a while to master, but quickly
cool the car. The seats are exceptional. They are very comfortable and you can
even get a great back massage as the rollers hit you just perfectly when you
push the massage button. You can even extend the bottom of the seats to give
your legs more support. With the seat heaters and the massage on and the leg
rest extenders out you feel just like you’re sitting in an expensive reclining
chair at home. Thankfully, the massage shuts off automatically after about 15
minutes or you just might want to move in.
Driving around town you never
forget you are in a heavy automobile. It smoothers bumps, scoffs at most pot
holes, and levels all sorts of imperfections that mar your way. What is
forgotten is that this Bentley can get you to 100 mpg in about 12 seconds, has a
top speed of 198 mph, and looks appropriately like a hunkered down British Bull
Dog. I enjoyed it, but without a cargo net there was a lot of canned goods
spilled in the trunk. By the way, that is where the battery is, too.
If you can afford this car there is simply no excuse not to consider it. The
three year warranty has unlimited mileage and the resale should be minimal, if
at all, during that time. Bentley is also bringing out a sedan with the same
mechanicals that might suit some buyers better as it does take effort to open
that long coupe door, especially on an incline, and the sedan will be easier to
get in and out of.
Family conference: There is nothing important that this Bentley does not
offer. You have every other car covered. And, as most knowledgeable readers
know, the price may seem high, but it is a bargain when compared to other super
coupes with this much horsepower, a V 12 engine, and a racing heritage. It is an
instant classic and we fully expect to see if in a modern museum shortly as a
testimony to one of the most beautiful and purposeful vehicles ever made. Add to
this mix is the that a Bentley of this stature can be passed down from
generation to generation, much as its predecessor have, and provide a legacy for
those families yet to come. Make ours black or silver and we’re telling the
insurance agent it’s for pleasure. He’ll understand.
Written by The
Car Family |
