Car India – May 2019

I canempathize.Butwhileit neversoundsasspecialasyouhopeit will,

theW12isspecial:demure,cultured,andalmostsilentunderlowload,

butabletosummonatwilla clinicalandscarcelybelievableturnofspeed

themomentyouneedit.Orjustwantit.

Astheclimbgetsinteresting,theroadhuntingleftandrightasit gains

height,theunforgivinggradientinevitablystartstoslowlorriesandless

specialcars.Bycontrast,theBentleyseemsblissfullyunaware.Direct-

andport-injectedandwithtwin-scrollturbos,

there’snodelay,nomomentinwhichthething

gathersitsthoughts:brain,throttle,three-car

overtake—done.

ButwhiletheW12fullyextended,itsmight,

shrinkingdistancesandpullingdistantplaces

near,isdeeplyimpressive;withtimeit isits

flexibilityandeffortlessspeedthatstarttobuild

a bond.Stopflickingamongtheimpressively

smoothandsharptwin-clutch’box’sthird,

fourth,andfifthgearsandworktheengine’s

rev-rangeinstead,effectively6,000rpm,given

peaktorquearrivesat1,350rpm.Nowyou

appreciatea coupleofthings:thatyou’rebarely

coveringgroundanylessquickly,thatdoing

thesamewiththechassis(guidingit witha

littleinreserveratherthanflingingit)feels

right,andthat,fittingly,theinternal

combustionenginehasneverfeltmore

wondrousthannowasit playsitslastinnings.

Consumptionof6.4km/l(7.15km/lofficially)

isthetaxyoupayonthatsenseofawe,butwhatprice0-100

km/hin3.8seconds, 333 km/h,andbeingabletoflywithout

leavingtheground?

Thatrhythm,theonethatcomeswithholdinggearsand

corneringwithgrace,comesquicklyintheConvertiblebecause

it’sa carabletomouldyourmoodlikefewI’vedriven.The

interior—asbefitsa £175,890(Rs1.58crore)luxurycarinthe

firstdaysofitslife—isgorgeous.It’sa lovinglywroughtspace

inwhichthestuffyouneed—gooddrivingposition,clear

information,andsomeisolationfromtheworldspeedingby

beneathyou—istheretogetherwithreamsofthestuffyou

don’tneedbutthatdelightsnonetheless.StuffliketheRotating

Display(a£4,700option,thatis,Rs4.2lakh)andthevery

Bentleymomentofdramaasit swapstouchscreenforexpanseof

flawlessveneer,thetactileandflawlessstitchingaroundthe

insideofthesteeringwheel,andthespectacularglowtheKoa

veneertakesonasthelate-afternoonSpanishsunpoursinand

setsthetimber’sdeeplylacqueredlustremomentarilyablaze.

Ifthatlastpointisaboutthecarandtheweather,it isoneof

Remember when dropped

soft-tops looked entirely

tragic? Those days are gone

Price:£175,890(Rs1.58crore)(£210,925,that

is,Rs1.9crore,astested)

Powertrain:5,950cctwin-turboW12,

eight-speeddual-clutchauto,all-wheeldrive

Performance: 635 PSat6,000rpm, 900 Nmat

1,350rpm,3.8seconds0-100km/h, 333 km/h

Weight:2,414kg

(ɝFLHQF\ 9.15 km/l (WLTP), 317 g/km CO2

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT CONVERTIBLE

44 CAR INDIA May 2019 http://www.carindia.in

First Drive Bentley Continental GT Convertible