Large disc brakes all round, equipped
with anti-lock sensors and ventilated at the front, give it immense stopping
power: as for
motive force, it shares the redesigned
V8
engine of the
Brooklands, now boasting a noticeable
increase in performance
and coupled to afour-speed
automatic transmissionwhose control software
has been further refined by Bentley's engineers.
Combine these with the automatic
ride control that makes
cornering seem almost roll-free,
and you have a motor car
with cornering, acceleration and
braking performance that belie
its accommodation and comfort.
The Continental is that most rare
of creatures,
a genuine
four-seat open tourer. The
latest refinement to passenger
comfort comes in the form of the
new front seat, which tilts
and motors forward automatically
for ease and access to the
rear.
Hood up, the Continental sacrifices
nothing to its saloon
counterparts in comfort; the construction
and trimming of
the power-assisted hood, with its
patented tensioning method,
take a team of craftsmen almost
ten days, the entire assembly
being hand-built on a master jig.
The end result justifies the care:
from inside the cockpit, you would
find it hard to credit that the
car is a soft-top, such as its
solidity and luxury.
Even at rest, there's something about the Continental that draws admiring glances. Like its four-door and coupe siblings, it undeniably has the Bentley presence: it is a design of stature and elegance, an acknowledged classic.
Driving the Continental is a seductive
experience. You sit,
surrounded by the fragrance and
feel of the finest quality
Connolly hide. Ahead of you, the
rich burr walnut veneer of the
dash sparkles in the sunlight.
The open road beckons: with a
subdued growl, he Continental accelerates
toward the horizon.
On the right sort of day, with the
right sort of companions, there
is nothing to compare with the
pleasure of driving a fast. open
tourer. And on any kind of day,
there is no fast, open tourer
that stands comparison with the
Bentley Continental.