2018 Bentley Continental Review

There's a new 2020 Bentley Continental Coupe set to go on sale this summer, which means this is the finale for this second-generation Continental production run. The 2018 Bentley Continental lineup will consist of just the convertible, but it will continue to be available with five engine varieties.

Unfortunately, the Continental has been showing its age lately since it lacks many of the latest advanced safety features and technological upgrades. While it still has plenty of performance, luxury, refinement and prestige, it's possible that you'll find a rival convertible to be more appealing.

The 2018 Bentley Continental is only offered as a convertible as a new coupe joins the lineup for 2020. The convertible comes in five versions: the GT V8, GT V8 S, GT, GT Speed and the Supersports. The GT V8 features the V8 engine, while the GT V8 S version makes a bit more power. The remaining Continentals all come with the W12 engine. The regular GT serves as the base. The line then expands with the Continental GT Speed, which has a more powerful W12, and the Supersports, which produces even more power. All Continental variants have an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

Under the hood of the GT V8 is a turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 that produces 500 horsepower and 487 pound-feet of torque. This allows the V8 to accelerate to 60 mph in a claimed 4.7 seconds. Standard feature highlights include 20-inch wheels, a fabric folding top, xenon headlights, an adaptive air ride suspension, an 8-inch infotainment screen, and an eight-speaker audio system with satellite radio. The GT V8 S increases power output to 521 hp and 502 lb-ft of torque.

The Continental GT uses Bentley's turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 engine, and here it produces 582 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque. One step up in terms of power and performance, the Continental GT Speed has a revised W12 good for 633 hp and 620 lb-ft of torque. The Speed receives 21-inch wheels and sits 10 mm lower thanks to a sportier suspension calibration.

At the top, the Continental Supersports takes the power levels up an additional notch to 700 hp and 750 lb-ft of torque by utilizing larger turbos and different internal hardware. The Supersports features the most aggressive suspension, transmission and stability control calibration, and it adds carbon-ceramic brake rotors and brake-based torque vectoring.

Added features for the V8 S, the GT Speed and the Supersports include gloss-black exterior trim, sporty exterior enhancements, a sport-tuned suspension and unique interior trim treatments. As with all Bentleys, buyers can choose from a dizzying array of exterior and interior colors, wheels, embroidery, stitching, piping and wood or metallic trim. Notable options across the lineup include an optional Naim premium audio system, a Wi-Fi hotspot and adaptive cruise control.