New Bentley Continental GT to be Revealed Online Next Week

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed)
Aug 31st 2010 at 7:02PM

The 2003 Introduction of the Continental GT coupe marked the beginning of the rebirth of Bentley as a stand-alone luxury brand after its separation from Rolls-Royce. Since then Bentley has introduced a range of new models including the GTC convertible, Flying Spur and Mulsanne that have given the brand a distinct character despite sharing some underpinnings with less Audis.

Next week, Bentley will unveil the new next generation Continental GT in a special online event before it shows up at the Paris Motor Show. Judging from the teaser video Bentley has posted at www.ContinentalGT.com the coupe won't be breaking any significant new ground stylistically. Instead it will be an evolution of current design. The most noticeable exterior change is the adoption of LED headlamps at the front for better lighting that uses less energy. The new Continental GT will be revealed at 10am EDT on September 7.

[Source: Bentley]

PRESS RELEASE

Iconic British coupe to make world on-line debut
7-14 September, 2010

(31 August 2010. Crewe, England) Bentley will reveal its new and compelling vision of the Continental GT next month with a unique internet reveal. The studio lights are switched-on and the cameras will start rolling at 1500 British Summer Time on Tuesday 7 September.

The week-long public reveal (available both day and night) will be hosted at www.ContinentalGT.com with the opportunity for viewers to enjoy the drama of a formal motor show 'unveil' as well as taking several bespoke and virtual tours of the Continental GT by selecting a range of camera angles and distances which are all designed to showcase the Continental's new sculpted, athletic body and powerful styling lines.

The designer behind the styling of the first, groundbreaking Continental GT coupe in 2003 and Bentley's Design Director Dirk van Braeckel, said:

"In 2003 we designed a car like no other – a striking, luxury GT coupe combining the craftsmanship and refinement Bentley is renowned for with a purposeful, sporting road presence. Now we've taken the opportunity to write a new chapter for the Continental.

The styling and design story in 2010 is just as dramatic and we believe this Bentley GT will be as instantly recognisable as its predecessor. We look forward to the moment the cameras are switched on and sharing the new Continental GT with enthusiasts across the world."

Launched in 2003 the first Continental helped to spearhead Bentley's renaissance by offering an entirely new driving experience; it was a high-luxury 2+2 GT coupe also delivering remarkable levels of everyday usability and the stirring performance (courtesy of a hugely powerful 6 litre W12 engine offering 552bhp) associated with the Bentley marque.

Over 22,000 Continental GT models have been delivered to customers since 2003 and the strength of the original engineering and design proposition inspired Bentley to create a 600bhp GT Speed stablemate, the convertible Continental GTC as well as the recently launched Supersports – a muscular 204mph supercar.