Porsche 911 vs Bentley Continental

What's the difference?

In describing this 911, Porsche talks about the 'T-feeling'. It should be light and agile, delivering fun, driving pleasure, yet still suitable for everyday use.

Sure, the safety could be better and the warranty lags the market, but that stuff fades into the background when the T feeling takes over. What a great car!

It may not come cheap, isn’t ideal for family buyers and will have you visiting the petrol bowser regularly, but it’s still hard not to love the Continental GT.

It’s an over-the-top car in so many ways, from the dramatic styling to the plush and pampering interior to the effortlessly powerful engine, this is a car that is a pleasure to drive 10km or 10,000km.

It’s certainly not cheap, especially if you start diving into the options list, or the even more costly Mulliner program, but price is relative, of course, and for Bentley buyers purchasing one of these cars isn’t about getting a ‘bargain’ but instead it’s about experiencing the finer things in life.

One of the most recognisable profiles in the automotive world, the 911 has evolved and grown over time but there's no mistaking it for anything other than Zuffenhausen's finest.

For the record, the current '992' 911 is a whopping 367mm longer, 242mm wider and 30mm lower than the 1963 original. And the majority of models share the same (1852mm) wide-body look, the Turbo and GT3 RS broadening that to 1900mm.

Multiple solid and metallic colours are available at no extra cost, three of which are exclusive to the Carrera T, but if you like our test car's 'striking' 'Python Green' finish, it'll set you back an extra $5700.

Car-spotters on the lookout for the Carrera T will need to tick off 'Agate Grey' accents on the tail-light grille, badging and mirror housings as well as a grey top tint windscreen, specific side graphics and Carrera S wheels in 'Titanium Grey'.

The cabin in our test car also has also been optionally upgraded with the 'Carrera T Interior Package' ($4120), which adds extra leather trim as well as coloured seat belts and contrast stitching.

Our car has also picked up the 'Adaptive Sports Seats' ($5510). Subjective call, of course, but I love the dark cloth seat inserts with tiny flecks of green. It's Porsche retro-cool, but somehow contemporary at the same time. Beautiful.

And the five-dial instrument cluster under a gently curved cowl is a 911 design signature, although the central tachometer is now flanked by twin 7.0-inch, configurable displays.

Ergonomically and aesthetically, this layout is hard to fault.

The most interesting aspect of the third-generation Continental GT design is how similar it looks to the first-generation model launched 20 years ago.

Put the pair side-by-side and you’ll notice the latest model is more refined and features crisper lines and more intricate details, but the overall shape and design themes, such as the grille, headlights, etc, bare a similar family resemblance.

This is a deliberate act from Bentley, choosing an evolutionary styling approach for the Continental GT in the same way Porsche has approached the 911.

As for the specific details of this particular Continental GT S model, there are some key differences between it and the standard GT and GT Azure models that sit beneath it in the range. 

The most notable - even if it is slightly harder to spot on our black test car - is a ‘black pack’ that swaps all the chrome finishes on the exterior to black.

This includes the grille, headlight surrounds, lower bumper grille, window surrounds, door mirror caps and the exhaust tips. The S also adds black sports sills and black-painted alloy wheels.

Even though the current 911 dwarfs the original '901' series of sixty years ago, it's still aimed primarily at accommodating the driver and front passenger, with '+2' rear seating a handy addition for kids, or adults in short trip emergencies.

In other markets, the addition of the rear seats is a no-cost option, whereas here they're the default fitment and removing them is the zero-dollar choice. Which makes sense because they add significantly to the car's usability.

Either way, a sports car of this type is never going to be SUV practical. However, when you look at it in the context of the Carrera T's competitors, this 911 does pretty well.

It feels appropriately snug inside, yet there's more than enough breathing space in the front and a liveable distance between driver and passenger.

For storage there are two slim compartments in each door, with a cavity for bottles, as well as a cupholder in the centre console and another pop-out holder in the dash on the passenger side.

As in most 911s, you can swap the centre console cupholder out with a small oddments tray insert which is a nifty piece of practical thinking.

There's also a modest glove box, a shallow lidded compartment between the seats and clothes hooks on the front seat backrests.

Connectivity and power options run to a pair of USB-C ports in the centre console box and a 12-volt outlet in the passenger footwell. Nothing in the back, which isn't a big surprise.

And the 132-litre boot is the only substantial cargo space, with enough room for several soft bags or a medium suitcase… even a mid-week grocery top-up.

Luggage-type storage inside the car is helped by the rear seat backs folding down to create a level platform.

But bear in mind there's no spare. A can of sealant and air compressor are on board instead.

As mentioned earlier, the Continental GT is a two-door, four-seat grand tourer, but while it’s certainly grand, calling it a four seater may be a stretch.

There are two small seats in the rear that can be used if absolutely necessary but anyone in the back won’t feel like they’re in a luxury car because they’ll be cramped for space - even with the roof down.

You could pop small kids in the back in a pinch (and there is a pair of ISOFIX anchor points) but the Continental GT is hardly a family car.

In fact, the Flying Spur is a four-door sedan built on the same underpinnings as the Continental GT, so Bentley does have family buyers covered.

So, let’s keep our attention on the front seats, which is where you want to be in this grand tourer. The seats are comfortable and offer fantastic support, thanks in large part to 12-way electronic adjustment.

To help you enjoy your convertible with the top down regardless of weather, the seats are heated and available with a vent to blow warm or cool air onto your neck.

The seats are just the start, the whole cabin is a blend of modern technology and classic luxury elements.

There’s the media touchscreen, but there’s also a physical button for most functions, so it’s a busy layout but one that will likely appeal to Bentley’s older clientele.

Our test car was fitted with not only the optional sound system but a rotating display, so you can hide the screen away when you’re not using it.

Overall the build quality and attention-to-detail is exceptional, as you’d expect for a car at this price. And it’s really one of the main reasons you buy a Bentley, because it has a level of luxury and quality above brands like Mercedes-Benz and Porsche.

Naturally the Continental GT doesn’t come cheap, with the range beginning at $430,300 (all priced exclude on-road costs) for the ‘entry-level’ coupe model.

The Continental GT S Convertible we’re testing here is priced from $568,400.

But with cars like the Bentley, the list price is really only the starting point as the company offers a huge array of ways for owners to personalise their cars and this can make a dramatic difference to the cost.

For example, our test car featured several additional extras including its interior leather colour combination, upgraded 1500W 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, larger 22-inch alloy wheels and more, which pushed the price to $667,806.

In terms of personalisation, the sky's the limit. Or perhaps to be more precise, your bank account is the limit. That’s because Bentley’s Muliner department can create unique colours, leathers, trims, you name it, whatever your heart desires is yours - as long as you can afford it.

Even if you don’t want to go down that path there’s still plenty of choice, with the Continental GT available in 16 standard body colours plus an extended range of off-the-shelf hues.

There are three standard roof colours with four optional colours, as well as five interior leather choices and 11 different veneer 'species' to select from.

Focusing on the equipment that comes standard with the Continental GT S, this includes 21-inch alloy wheels, air-suspension, full LED matrix headlights, a 650W 10-speaker sound system and a 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen which incorporates navigation, Bluetooth and WiFi streaming, digital radio, Apple CarPlay and even a CD slot (which is a rare find these days).

One of the saddest things about recent 911s is the fact that when you open the cover you can't see the engine unless you decide to break out the spanners and remove everything that's hiding it.

If you did, you'd reveal a 3.0-litre, all-alloy, dry-sumped, twin-turbo flat six-cylinder engine which remains unchanged from the entry Carrera model.

Featuring direct-injection and variable valve control, it sends more than 280kW (380hp) and 450Nm (from 1950-5000rpm) to the rear wheels through a seven-speed manual gearbox, or in this case, the no-cost optional eight-speed dual-clutch auto.

Suffice it to say, in a car weighing less than 1.5 tonnes, that's plenty of propulsion, and even though an engine hanging over the rear axle remains a peculiar 911 throwback, the white-coated boffins in Stuttgart continue to make it work brilliantly well.

Bentley is renowned for its big, powerful engines, specifically its unique W12. That’s available in the top-of-the-range Continental GT, but the S model we’re driving is motivated by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8.

It may not be what Bentley is famous for, but it’s a fantastic engine in its own right and it’s paired to a well-matched eight-speed automatic transmission and an active all-wheel drive system.

Making a very healthy 404kW and 770Nm it has no trouble getting such a big car moving.

Bentley claims the Continental GT S will run 0-100km/h in just 4.1 seconds, which is very rapid and particularly impressive when you realise this car weighs 2335kg.

Porsche's official fuel economy number for the combined (ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban) cycle is 10.8L/100km for the dual-clutch auto as tested, the 3.0-litre twin-turbo six emitting 246g/km of CO2 in the process.

During a week of city, suburban and some at times enthusiastic highway running, we averaged 15.0L/100km (at the pump), while the car's onboard computer indicated 16.1L/100km, which isn't out of line with the super- and turbo-charged V8s this car competes with.

Minimum fuel requirement is 98 RON 'premium' unleaded and you'll need 64 litres of it to fill the tank.

Using the official number, that translates to a driving range of around 590km, which drops to roughly 430km using our real-world figure.

If you’re looking for a fuel efficient car or are worried about the price of premium unleaded at your local service station, the Continental GT is not for you.

In an entirely unsurprising way, this two-tonne, twin-turbo V8 luxury car is not a fuel-sipping proposition.

Even the official combined urban/highway cycle is 12.5 litres per 100km, which is thirsty.

But if you’re spending most of your time around town, rather than driving to your country weekender, you’ll probably be looking at returns in the mid to high teens, based on our experience.

We saw an average of 16.7L/100km on the car’s long-term trip computer that included more than 1400km of driving.

Fortunately it has a 90-litre tank, which translates to a theoretical driving range of 720km - as long as you can hit the official claim.

At 1470kg the 911 Carrera T is 35kg lighter than the entry-level car it's based on, thanks largely to reduced sound insulation, lightweight glazing and a more compact battery.

Yes, the rear seats are fitted to our test example, which sends the scales back up a bit, but the reduced sound deadening still raises the standard sports exhaust's glorious rumble through the cabin.

Porsche claims 0-100km/h in 4.0 seconds for the auto and 4.5s for the seven-speed manual. Yep, it's quick!

Peak torque (450Nm) is on hand from 1950-5000rpm, which means there's always substantial mid-range punch available, with the dual-clutch auto's eight ratios also helping to keep things on the boil.

I love a manual gearbox as much as the next person, but this dual-clutch is ultra fast yet refined with the wheel-mounted paddles adding to the fun.

The 'Driving Mode' dial on the steering wheel enables selection of 'Normal', 'Sport', 'Sport Plus' and 'Individual' modes, with each selection displayed in the instrument cluster.

And given the 'Sport Chrono Package' is standard the 'Sport Response' button in the centre of that mode dial acts like a push-to-pass function, delivering a 20-second burst of maximum performance response from the engine and transmission.

Suspension is by struts at the front and multi-links at the rear, with ride height dropped by 10mm and the standard 'Porsche Active Suspension Management' (PASM) system able to adjust the dampers through 'Normal' and 'Sport' modes.

Ride comfort is harsh, even in the most comfort-focused setting, but that kind of goes with the Carrera T territory.

The steering is pretty much perfection. Precise and accurate, with amazing road feel, it allows the old 'think your way through corners' syndrome.

Speaking of which, this car chews up and spits out twisting B-roads without a hint of drama. The front end sticks and refuses to let go, the big 305 rear rubber following suit.

It remains resolutely planted, balanced and adjustable on the throttle, the standard torque vectoring set-up and locking diff turning go-fast wannabes into bonafide apex predators.
  
Standard rubber is Z-rated Goodyear Eagle F1 (245/35x20 fr - 305/30x21 rr) which is 10mm wider than the already generously shod 911 Carrera.

Braking is suitably beefy with 330mm ventilated and cross-drilled rotors all around clamped by four-piston aluminium monobloc fixed calipers front and rear.

We got the bit between our teeth at various stages of this test and can confirm the brakes are able to wash off speed rapidly and consistently with a reassuringly firm yet progressive pedal.

Under the heading of miscellaneous observations, the optional 18-way adjustable Adaptive Sports Seats fitted to the test car are brilliant. Comfortable for cruising, they can be dialled up to King Kong levels of grip when required.

A super useful feature is the ability to adjust the passenger seat with the driver's seat controls. So convenient for setting things back to normal after the co-pilot has cranked forward to accommodate a rear seat passenger.

The GT sport steering wheel is just right in terms of its diameter and grippiness and the overhead 'Surround View' function helps when manoeuvring a low and wide-hipped car like this one.

There’s a duality to the driving experience of the Continental GT, as it manages to blend its obvious luxury focus with a genuinely dynamic edge that makes it a true grand tourer.

The combination of the powerful engine and air suspension means it possesses a laid back personality and effortless nature around town.

The engine delivers its performance with ease, moving this big car rapidly whenever you put your foot down, so you can jump into gaps in traffic or make a brisk getaway from the lights.

It soaks up all the bumps and imperfections on the road with minimal fuss, too, despite our test car riding on 22-inch wheels, so you feel cosseted inside the plush cabin.

However, if you find yourself on the open road, the Continental GT S is equally at home.

Dial up the ‘Sport’ drive mode and the engine feels more responsive, the steering is more direct and the suspension is more taut but still compliant.

It makes this a really fun car to drive on a fast, sweeping rural road, where you can let the engine stretch its legs.

Because of its size it’s not as enjoyable on a twisty road with lots of changes of direction, though.

But for enjoying an opulent daily commute or a weekend drive in the countryside the Continental GT S is a great companion.

Despite costing more than $500,000 there are still several optional safety features for the Continental GT, which is surprising and disappointing.

There is a decent level of standard equipment, including four airbags - driver and front seat passenger, as well as side - and a reversing camera, as well as active safety items including pre-collision warning, collision prevention assist, rear cross-traffic alert and multi-collision brake.

However, equipment that is standard on much cheaper cars that’s optional on the Continental include active lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control with 'Traffic Jam Assist', traffic sign recognition, pedestrian warning, reversing traffic warning and top view cameras.

These are available in optional packages, but it’s not unreasonable to expect every safety feature Bentley offers as standard given the asking price. 

As for an ANCAP safety rating, the Continental GT doesn’t have one - again, largely because of its price.

As ANCAP testing requires multiple vehicles to be destroyed it’s not financially viable to test all models in this premium market, so cars from the likes of Bentley, Porsche, Rolls-Royce and others rarely have an independent safety rating.

Porsche's three-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty is off the pace now, although the paint is covered for the same period, and a 12-year (unlimited km) anti-corrosion warranty is also included.

'Porsche Roadside Assist' provides 24/7 coverage for the life of the warranty, and after the warranty runs out is renewed for 12 months every time the vehicle is serviced at an authorised Porsche dealer.

The main service interval is 12 months/15,000km but no capped-price servicing is available, with final costs determined at the dealer level (in line with variable labour rates by state or territory).

Another surprising feature of the Bentley range is the company’s three-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, which feels surprisingly short in this day and age - especially for a brand that takes pride in its carefully built cars.

There is a 10-year warranty available as an optional extra, but it feels like that should be standard if the company is willing to stand by its products anyway and owners are paying such a premium for their cars upfront. 

The good news is all Bentley models are covered by a five-year servicing plan (intervals are 12 months/16,000km) which is included in the cost of the car.

As you should expect from such a premium brand, the local dealer will arrange to collect and return the car when servicing is required, and a loan car can be arranged if required.