Press releases and official communication are sometimes stuffed with grand claims, and we – the individuals who course of the knowledge – have turn into desensitised to the hyperbole. Each new mannequin is one of the best of its form, nice in all departments, recreation changer – you get the drift.
Look by means of Bentley’s press supplies and also you received’t be blamed for considering that the posh carmaker is one more sturdy believer in its personal merchandise.
When the Velocity variant of the third-generation Continental GT was unveiled in March this 12 months, Bentley known as the brand new range-topper the last word mixture of luxurious and efficiency in a Grand Touring bundle.
“The brand new Continental GT Velocity represents the very pinnacle of efficiency grand touring… The world’s most luxurious Grand Tourer is now actually extra succesful than ever earlier than, with a brand new sportier edge which can attraction to performance-focused drivers,” stated Matthias Rabe, member of the board for engineering at Bentley.
Be aware “most luxurious” and “performance-focused” in the identical sentence. Now, vehicles, like most issues in life, hardly ever tick opposing bins – essentially the most thrilling vehicles round aren’t essentially the most gas environment friendly, vice versa, whereas a spacious individuals provider can’t doable be very nimble. Such is life.
But when any carmaker can convey collectively disparate qualities, it’s Bentley. Crewe has type with regards to making its ultra-luxury vehicles drive like a lot smaller, sportier machines, and this uncanny capacity to mix leather-based and wooden with supercar efficiency was on full show at Bentley’s Symphony of Velocity occasion in South Australia final month.
Like how the unique Boxster saved Porsche 1 / 4 of a century in the past, the Continental GT propelled Bentley into mainstream consciousness when it surfaced in 2003. Over 65,000 items had been offered within the following 15 years over two generations, an enormous quantity for a carmaker of Bentley’s measurement. The primary mannequin of the fashionable Bentley period was a real landmark automobile.
However to be sincere, I used to be by no means been an enormous fan. To my then younger eyes, the Mk1 was a tall and slim bar of cleaning soap, and the second-generation was a small evolution when it comes to design, carrying over the basic double cockpit-style dashboard as effectively. The massive shift got here in 2018 with the third-generation GT.
Whereas nonetheless immediately recognisable as a Continental GT, at this time’s 2+2 has extra dynamic proportions (wheelbase is longer by 105 mm, marginally wider too), and a cabin that’s completely trendy in tech and format, however nonetheless luxurious in supplies and execution, which you’d anticipate in a Bentley. In distinction to trendy supercars, which have turn into a bit loud and distasteful, this grand tourer is pure class.
Enter the Velocity, which turns up the wick of the 6.0 litre twin-turbo W12 engine by 24 PS to 659 PS, whereas torque is maintained at 900 Nm. The 0-100 km/h time is a tenth quicker at 3.6 seconds, whereas high velocity is up 2 km/h to 335 km/h. Minute sure, however thoughts you, we’re coming from a really excessive base. How excessive? Right now’s W12 makes 60 Nm extra torque than the previous-generation Velocity (642 PS/840 Nm).
Talking of the previous Velocity, it got here with a torque converter computerized transmission. The Mk3 GT has changed that with an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox, with retuned software program for the Velocity that allows it to shift twice as quick in Sport mode, whereas additionally holding onto gears for longer and downshifting faster to maintain the W12 in its energy band. The Velocity additionally boasts “larger exhaust character” throughout start-up and when downshifting.
The powertrain enhancements are welcome – and wanted for a efficiency flagship, nevertheless quick the bottom automobile already is – but it surely’s the chassis work and gizmos which are essentially the most noteworthy. It’s one factor to make a heavy luxurious automobile go quick in a straight line, one other to make it carve corners competently.
All-wheel steering, first seen on the Flying Spur, makes an look right here. Within the limo, AWS – which turns the rear wheels in the wrong way to the entrance wheels in low to medium speeds, and in the identical route because the fronts at excessive speeds – works to scale back turning circle and improve high-speed stability. Right here, the system is considerably extra energetic within the automobile’s dealing with character, Bentley says.
For the primary time in a Bentley, an digital rear differential offers elevated lateral grip, improved stability, and enhanced on-throttle adjustability. The traction management and torque distribution of the Energetic AWD has been recalibrated in all modes to offer a distinct character from the common Continental GT, Crewe claims. Sport mode has been calibrated with a extra rear-biased torque-split in all driving eventualities.
Additionally on are Bentley’s three-chamber energetic air suspension with adaptive damping, and Bentley Dynamic Trip. The latter is a 48V energetic anti-roll management system that options electrical motors inside every anti-roll bar to withstand lean. Of their firmest setting, the motors can ship 1,300 Nm in 0.3 secs to counteract cornering forces and maintain the physique stage. All these mix for a “stage of agility in contrast to another Bentley street automobile”.
Additionally, the Velocity’s ESC may be switched off, however no such shenanigans for us, because it was a darkish and wet day at The Bend Motorsport Park, which is situated round 100 km south-east of the South Australia’s state capital, Adelaide. The Bend is Australia’s latest circuit, and its 7.77 km GT Circuit is the second longest everlasting race observe on the earth after the Nurburgring Nordschleife.
The occasion was held at The Bend’s West Circuit, which is 3.4 km lengthy and consists of the observe’s major straight and paddock, plus a reasonably technical internal part. Think about all that energy and weight on an unfamiliar moist observe, attempting to have some enjoyable whereas – and that is a very powerful – bringing the multi-million ringgit vehicles again to pits in a single piece.
Simply as the thought of huddling by the heater with a sizzling latte seeped in, my title was known as and it was helmet on and off we go. First title on the record and first to exit with the GT Velocity, however I needn’t have apprehensive. Beside me was a racer who gave good tips about braking/turning factors and one of the best traces to take, and my workspace was impossibly snug for a 335 km/h automobile. Plush seats with ample help and heated the whole lot is significantly better than the standard Alcantara-lined testosterone fest, IMO.
The W12 seems fearsome on paper and but it surely’s neither a really loud engine or a zingy, high-revving one. It does have baggage of torque although, which implies you don’t should work it tremendous laborious. No points in placing all that energy to the damp floor both. The ‘straightforward’ theme continues with the gearbox, which is sweet sufficient for me to maintain it in D, leaving full consideration to putting the automobile in corners.
While you drive a GT or Flying Spur on the street, you’re consistently reminded of the automobile’s appreciable measurement by the width of the lanes and different automobiles, however with out such markers on observe, it actually seems like a smaller automobile. Flat cornering and fast ft – a 2.3 tonne automobile has no proper to be so nimble. Maybe the one time the massive B felt its measurement was after I stood on the brakes on the finish of the primary straight, from effectively over 200 km/h.
Improbable because the GT Velocity was, it wasn’t my favorite automobile of the day. To my very own shock, that automobile is the GT V8, the entry-level Continental, the supposedly poorer model with 4 cylinders much less. Its 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8 places out 550 PS and 770 Nm, which is 109 PS/130 Nm lower than the Velocity’s W12. The century dash is dispatched in 4 seconds flat, which is 4 tenths slower than the Velocity, whereas high velocity is 318 km/h.
Whereas the distinction in stats isn’t insignificant on paper, a quick automobile is a quick automobile, and absolutely there’s no motive to really feel inferior a few luxurious GT able to 4.0s and over 300 km/h. With out a stopwatch, it didn’t really feel a lot slower from behind the wheel; if something, the V8 felt extra spirited.
The burbly V8 sounds extra characterful and also you’ll hear extra of it within the cabin in comparison with the W12, even within the default Bentley mode and with helmet on. That stated, it’s not loud like an AMG and is whisper silent when cruising.
There aren’t many seen indicators that you simply purchased a V8, simply quad exhaust ideas (ovals within the W12) and a small badge on the entrance wings. In any case, with so many trim packs, colors and limitless personalisation choices from Mulliner, hardly ever are there two an identical vehicles rolling out from Crewe.
We additionally had the prospect to place just a few laps on the Bentayga Velocity and Bentayga S, and far of what we noticed on the GT applies to the SUV too, bearing in mind its additional weight and better centre of gravity. Talking of that, I discovered the air suspension’s trip top modifications amusing, as they tremendously alter the look of the Bentayga and function a reminder of this automobile’s breadth – from off-road to doing 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and 306 km/h max, whereas cosseting you with acres of leather-based and wooden. Or carbon. Or engine-turned aluminium to match the perlage in your watch motion.
In terms of making the best luxurious vehicles on the earth, Bentley is on a rarefied stage. It’s a tall step up from one of the best of the German premium manufacturers, and the ground’s solely different inhabitant is Rolls-Royce. Each British manufacturers are famed for refined efficiency, the richest of supplies, hand-built craftsmanship and personalisation, however Bentley has an ace up its sleeve.
A wealthy racing heritage. Walter Owen Bentley based the corporate in 1919 with the ethos of creating “a quick automobile, a very good automobile, one of the best in its class”. Bentley went on to set velocity and endurance data within the 20s, and dominated Le Mans in that period. In 2001, the women and men of Crewe achieved two issues that encapsulates what the carmaker is about – they returned to Le Mans (and obtained on the rostrum) and constructed a bespoke limo for the late Queen Elizabeth II for her Golden Jubilee.
The Bentleys of at this time aren’t nearly hides and veneers. Regardless of making no compromises in luxurious, Crewe’s creations have supercar ranges of efficiency and the dynamics to carry all of it collectively. A Symphony of Velocity within the Lap of Luxurious. This duality, I’ve not seen within the trade.
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