2004 Bentley Continental GT Coupe Engine, Handling, Price & Performance

The Bentley's compact engine is actually mounted ahead of the front wheels, and the differential, torque converter, and transmission follow in that order. The Continental GT's nose is tightly wrapped around the W-12, giving a visual impression of bluntness and minimal front overhang. For all intents and purposes, the engine compartment is shrink-wrapped around the powerplant.

Practically invisible in the driving experience is the all-wheel-drive system. The car corners "as if on rails," but nothing in the suspension or the powertrain intrudes to suggest that any single component is more responsible for the great handling and roadholding than any other. A brisk standing start on loose gravel might betray the presence of all-wheel drive for instance, but otherwise it's simply your unseen friend. The brakes are massive, both in physical dimensions and performance, but again, they don't announce their presence except to snub the vehicle down from any speed without drama.

In ballistics, the sectional density of a projectile has a great deal to do with its range, accuracy, and performance. This concept kept crossing my mind as I drove the Continental GT. It's quite heavy without being huge, and it conveys a positive feeling of "sectional density." There's something of the projectile in its appearance--and there are joyous moments when it feels faster than a speeding bullet.