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The Continental GT Diamond Edition
with Mulliner Driving Specification
A clunky name, perhaps, but a clunky car? Certainly not. The German-funded, but quintessentially British coupé that basically made modern Bentley what it is today – thank you Volkswagen – is still, three years on, a peerless experience that has redefined for many people the concept of the British GT car.
Okay, so if it were a direct competitor, the Aston Martin DB9 would get my vote for favorite gran turismo. However, the two can not be compared directly for a number of reasons. The DB9's modern, subtle shape appeals that much more to me than the stately and traditional Bentley, whilst also being the more focused, more feelsome drive. Their personalities diverge, and thus attract loyalists who generally would not consider the other car in the first place. You either are a Bentley Boy, or you are not, I suppose.
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On a more social level, the Conti GT is as much a fashion statement these days as it is a monumental automobile, and has thus attracted a younger, trendier clientèle. Traditionalists may lament the very large numbers of Bentleys now being sold as a direct result of this celebrity-laden crowd flocking to the Continental, but I personally noted a very large proportion of them rumbling through swanky, upmarket Knightsbridge on a recent trip to London. The Conti, therefore, appears to be the choice of the upmarket and urbane – as well as the nouveau riche.
The Continental GT Diamond Edition coupé with Mulliner Driving Specification that we drove is the ultimate Conti GT, and by extension, one of the very best cars out there today. Of the Continental range, it certainly gives the best rendition of a sporting drive, with its solid structure and very controlled damping making it feel a lot nimbler than one would expect it to be. The power, the responsive handling, and the two-door looks, as well as the Mulliner carbon-ceramic disc brakes, twenty-inch wheels, and engine-turned aluminum trim inside, all make this a very memorable, desirable steer.
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Next page: The Ultimate Continental: The GTC
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