Having been introduced in 2003, Bentley's Continental GT is officially the oldest model in the British automaker's lineup. About time for a facelift? Bentley thought so, too. The 2011 Conti has been brought up to date with an evolved interior and exterior that put it more in-line with the brand's Mulsanne flagship, while a new 4.0-liter V8 engine will join the tweaked W12 in 2011.

Most noticeable in front are the gemstone headlights peeking out from behind newly-extended wings, moving the front fender / front bumper panel gap downward. Also, the grille surround has officially become part of the hood's lines and now houses the front license plate as well.

One can see a similar design in back, where Bentley utilized the Mulsanne's "double horse-shoe" theme. On either side of the boot, the rear fenders have gained some more definition and the car's taillights are slightly more squared-off. The overall package increases track width by 41-mm in front and 48-mm at the rear.

Now, onto the good part: engines (now plural!). Offered under the hood are now two forms of propulsion: 1) as usual, a big 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 which creates 575 hp and 700 Nm / 516 lb-ft of torque and is FlexFuel-compatible (up to E85), and 2) for the first time in the model's run, a 4.0 V8 coming later in 2011 with emissions that Bentley claims are 40% lower than the W12.

With the extra 15 horsepower (and the car's weight reduced by 65 kg), the W12 is good for a 0-60mph (96km/h) burst in 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 198 mph / 318 km/h. Bentley is keeping its lips sealed about the 8-cylinder's output for now, but they say "high-output", so expect a screamer.

In the field of putting power to pavement, the revised 6-speed automatic transmission allows "double downshifts" while still running all four wheels; the 20- or 21-inch rollers now get 40/60 front-to-rear power distribution (versus the outgoing model, which was 50/50).

The interior, while clearly still Continental, gets updated as well: there's a spruced-up dash, a new touchscreen infotainment unit with a 30GB hard drive (15 GB specifically for music), and redesigned front seats that offer rear cargo an extra 46-mm of legroom. Sounds are brought to you by 11-speakers from Naim, and there is TV/DVD/Phone/iPod/etc. connectivity; pretty much everything one you'd expect in a Bentley.

Overall, Bentley has succeeded in updating its breadwinner while keeping it very identifiable and distinct. Expect to see it next to the Mulsanne in Paris, and as soon as there are some official numbers on the V8, we'll let you know. Now back to your regularly-scheduled daydreaming.

By Phil Alex

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