The Evolution of Bentley: Exploring 90 years of iconic cars

Since opening its doors in 1919, British car manufacturer Bentley has become one of the most beloved motoring brands in the world, synonymous with luxury, quality and impeccable attention to detail. We take a look back at some of the iconic cars that have punctuated the evolution of Bentley over the last century, from the infamous 4½-litre Blower to the most recent Continental GT, which we reviewed here.

And now the latest chapter in the evolution of Bentley has been unveiled: the Bentayga Hybrid. Check out this innovative new concept car in the video below.

 

Bentley Continental GT, a grand tourer that thinks it’s a sports car

The Bentley Continental GT has managed to be a true grand tourer, without compromising its sports car-like aptitude for speed.

This may seem like a difficult feat, but, perhaps, a little history lesson might be illuminating. The original Continental GT was a triumph for Bentley. Launched some 15 years ago, the car soon became the conveyance of choice for soccer players and the more ostentatious brand of muso. The first Bentley to use production line techniques in its manufacture, it sold like spittle guards at Trump rally.

As with the car it replaces, this new Continental is large, luxurious and expensive. At 2,244kg, it is heavy enough crush any imperfections on the road surface, although its sophisticated computer-controlled air suspension allows it to simply glide over the majority of highway hickeys.

At 4.8 metres long and 2.2 wide, there’s little chance of stealing a Smart Car’s parking space. There’s also ample boot space for a good fortnight’s worth of luggage.

As well as being spacious enough, the interior is every bit as luxurious as the Bentley name entails. Indeed, its leather seats are so soft it may transpire that only the finest-quilted cattle contributed to their coverings.

The Continental’s interior is also exceptionally functional. The control interfaces are pleasingly chunky, moving with the kind of easy action that suggests that years of faultless operation lie ahead.

While upholding the values of time-served craftsmanship, the Continental’s cabin is far from old fashioned. Mounted on a three-faced tumbler, a large section of dashboard rotates to reveal blank facia, a trio of traditional dials or a 312mm touchscreen, displaying the driver’s choice of satellite navigation, climate conditions or Netflix catch-up.

On the move, the Continental is, indeed, a sumptuously smooth means of conveyance, with its air suspension suppressing any jolt occasioned by an unavoidable spot of tarmac turbulence.

The merest prod of the accelerator can shake up things a bit though. Fitted with a 6-litre twin turbo W12 engine – capable of producing 467Kw – as standard, this Continental can get very loud and very fast very, very quickly.

Any such acceleration is accompanied by a satisfying roar as the 12 cylinders and the two turbo-chargers kick in. Overall, this brief sound surge is about the only giveaway that the engine is, indeed, turbo-charged, with little or no lag between any change in throttle position and the engine’s powerful response,.

From a standing start, this big Bentley can crack 100kph in just 3.7 seconds. With a maximum velocity of 333kph, the acceleration just never seems to diminish, still pulling strongly at the speedo glides past the 200kph mark.

It’s hard to believe that any aspect of this car could be more impressive than its 467Kw engine. Until, that is, you stamp on the brake pedal. The violence of the subsequent deceleration is literally breath-taking, with the lungs squeezed of air as they’re hurled against the seat belt.

While the new Bentley Continental GT is just too truly massive to keep up with a genuinely lightweight sportster through all that really twisty stuff, it’s a more capable sports package than that offered by almost any other GT car – and all without giving up any of the genuine comfort the grand tourer name truly demands.

Bentley Continental GT from around HK$1.7m
Engine: 6.0 litre twin turbo W12
Power: 467 Kw
Torque: 900 Nm
Transmission: 8-speed dual clutch automatic through all-wheel drive
0-100kph: 3.7s
Top speed: 333kph

Bentley’s Mulsanne range: The perfect mix of grace and power

The Mulsanne range from Bentley, comprising of three distinct models, is a combination of elegance and raw power.

With each individual car built at the company’s state-of-the-art factory in Crewe, England, the Mulsanne will be nothing short of high-class.

For those who like to ride in style, you will fall in love with the Mulsanne’s leather interior. Individual preferences can also be taken into account as there is a choice for the seats to be either fluted or quilted.

Bentley also offers 24 different hide colours and single or duo-tone finishes. Talk about being spoilt for choice.

Mulsanne

Simply put, the Mulsanne is the perfect integration of style and speed. With the aforementioned leather interior, the car boasts a 6¾-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine and is capable of hitting a top speed of 296km/h. Plus it has 1,020 of torque.

Mulsanne Speed

For those who like to gun the engine and get a thrill out of seeing the speedometer rise, there is plenty the Mulsanne Speed has to offer. Just look at its name for starters.

From its 6¾-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine to 1,100 Nm of torque, the Mulsanne Speed has an animalistic side to it beneath all the pristine outer components. In regards to its speed, the car is capable of going from zero to 100km/h in under five seconds and also has a top speed of 305km/h.

Mulsanne EWB

The Mulsanne EWB is the epitome of luxury on wheels as the car has an immense amount of legroom to give passengers a real feel of what it means to be travelling in style.

For those in the driver’s seat, don’t be fooled by this car’s bulky frame as it is just as fast as the Mulsanne model, with a top speed of 296km/h.