It is nearly impossible to overstate just how important the Continental GT->ke3108 has been to the success of Bentley->ke15 under VW->ke94 ownership. The brand saw a sevenfold increase in sales after just the first year of Continental GT production, and Crewe knows better than to mess with success. So the task of introducing a new GT for 2017 will be a difficult one, as Bentley needs to show improvements without changing too much. Fortunately, it has the best possible help when it comes to improving a car: Porsche.->ke1

Mechanically, the new GT will be a close relative of the upcoming generation of the Porsche Panamera, using a shortened version of the Porsche's MSB platform. Bentley's current 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 will still be used for the whole Continental lineup, but most of the other tech will be borrowed from Porsche. Not that this is a bad thing, and the Continental won't be taking any of the Panamera's->ke1840 looks, which have been controversial to say the least. But you will see some design influence coming from the EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept , which was shown at the Geneva Motor Show,->ke228 particularly in the front fascia.

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Note: Current Bentley Continental GT pictured here.

Why it matters

With the Continental GT, Bentley has zeroed in on exactly what a modern grand tourer is supposed to be, quite a feat for a company that was almost completely irrelevant 20 years ago. And in an effort to remain relevant, Bentley has also been revealed that it will be making hybrids->ke147 and plug-in hybrids->ke4486 for the next generation of the GT and Flying Spur.->ke1657 Fuel economy regulations have been cited as the reason for this, but so long as Bentley is borrowing tech from Porsche, it could also be quite an exciting machine. There are still no plans for a pure electric,->ke1030 as the poor energy density of batteries would make for a car that is too heavy and too limited in range for Bentley.

2016 Bentley Continental GT

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