Launched in 2003, the Continental GT->ke3108 was a revolutionary car for Bentley,->ke15 particularly for being the brand's first vehicle to employ mass-production manufacturing techniques. It also transformed the company into a global brand and spawned an array of models, including race cars.->ke148 It's been 12 years since the first Continental GT rolled off the assembly line and the grand tourer is virtually unchanged.

Sure, it's received various new features, updated engines and mild styling upgrades, but it's the same five-meter, 5,000-pound coupe sitting on Volkswagen's->ke94 D1 platform (shared with the Phaeton).->ke287 Despite this, it remains a popular luxury grand tourer that's not likely to change dramatically anytime soon.

The 2016 facelift for the Continental GT confirms that. Dirk van Braeckel's design is largely unchanged, though the coupe->ke141 seems a bit more aggressive, thanks to its resculpted front bumper, revised diffuser, and the mild spoiler integrated into the trunklid. The refresh is basically following the same rule everyone else is applying these days: make it look sportier, regardless of whether there's extra horsepower and torque under hood.

But the new 2016 Bentley Continental GT has that extra kick to go with the sportier looks, having received an additional 15 horses and 15 pound-feet for a grand total of 582 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of twist. That's more than what the new 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe is able to deliver in standard form, but is the Continental GT as good as it sounds on paper? XCAR just took it out for a spin to find out.

2016 Bentley Continental GT

Find out more about the 2016 Continental GT in our review here.