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NEW AND FUTURE CARS
Continental GT
Convertible, Flying Spur
Bentley
As Bentley celebrates its centenary, it
seems fitting that the first new car of its
second century is the 2020 Continental
GT Convertible—after all, it was the
original Continental GT that set the pace
for modern Bentleys back in 2003.
Bentley has embraced the marque’s
sporting history by making the new
Continental GT a much more dynamic
car than its predecessor. The Conti uses
Volkswagen Group’s MSB platform, the
same one that underpins the Porsche
Panamera, and has cutting-edge features
such as a fast-acting 48-volt Dynamic Ride
control system and Bentley’s first active
torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system.
And there’s no shortage of torque to
vector. The new Continental GT offers a
choice of twin-turbo powerplants, either
a 542-hp V-8 or a new and improved
626-hp W-12 backed by a dual-clutch
automatic. Jethro Bovingdon, our man
in Britain, fell in love with the newAs with the Continental GT, the Flying
Spur’s interior features the best of the best
in both materials and electronic driver
aids. The cabin’s centerpiece is Bentley’s
three-sided rotating display, which rolls
to show either the 12.3-inch touchscreen,
a trio of analog gauges, or a veneer panel
that matches the dash (offering what
Bentley calls a “digital detox”). Buyers
will, of course, be able to create their own
bespoke Flying Spur through the company’s
Mulliner personalization program.ON SALE:
Continental GT Convertible: Now
Flying Spur: Late 2019
BASE PRICE:
Continental GT Convertible: $198,500
Flying Spur: $225,000 (est)Continental GT Convertible, lauding
not just its handling and ride quality
(not to mention lack of cowl or column
shake) but also its pure Bentley-ness.
“It makes you feel special at walking
pace, the materials and interior design
are gorgeous, and it eats miles with a
calmness derived from its effortlessly
muscular motor,” he wrote. “Yet when
the road gets interesting, the Conti can
up its game and really get stuck in.”
With the Continental GT already at
dealerships, there’s an all-new Flying
Spur on deck. Despite a 5.1-inch
wheelbase stretch, the new Flying Spur
retains its basic profile, the biggest
visual changes being to the front and
rear lights, along with a sharpening
of the bodyside creases. The new
retractable “Flying B” hood ornament is
a not so subtle play off of Rolls-Royce’s
hideaway Spirit of Ecstasy.
The styling changes are subtle, but
the mechanical alterations to the Flying
Spur are myriad. It follows the Conti
onto the MSB platform and shares the
same dynamic improvements, including
the 48-volt Dynamic Ride suspension,
improved W-12 engine, and torque-
vectoring all-wheel drive. But the Flying
Spur goes further, becoming the first
Bentley to offer four-wheel steering
to increase both maneuverability and
stability. Bentley promises a 0-60 time
of 3.7 seconds and a 207-mph top speed,
so the Flying Spur should please its
owners whether they drive themselves
or hire a chauffeur.Once the Flying Spur reaches
dealerships, what next? Expect to see
a slew of Continental and Flying Spur
variants, badged as Speed and other
low-volume, high-performance trims.
As far as new models, speculation has
centered around a grand touring sports
car along the lines of the EXP 10 Speed
6 and EXP 12 Speed 6e concepts, in
coupe and convertible variants. Billed as
a smaller alternative to the Continental,
the concepts used plug-in hybrid and all-
electric powertrains, with Barnato (after
legendary Bentley Boy Woolf Barnato)
rumored as the name for the possible
production model. But so far, the car has
yet to materialize. The marque’s leadership
is also reportedly considering a larger
sport utility to slot in above the existing
Bentayga, which it thinks would do well in
America and China. Bentley also promises
that all Bentley models will offer a plug-in
variant by 2025.
What Bentley is said to have ruled out
in the future: a range-topping supercar,
an SUV smaller than the Bentayga, and
a small all-electric car. CEO Adrian
Hallmark has confirmed Bentley is not
looking to pursue the low-volume, pure
sports car segment, sales of which are
susceptible to sudden downturns in the
economy. We look forward to seeing how
Bentley attacks its second century. AM