Dual Personalities

It's a warm spring night in the toney Detroit suburb of Birmingham, where the wealthy and wannabes stroll the streets inspecting upscale shop windows.

One passerby, however, studiously observes vehicles arriving at a valet stand, critiquing each to his friends.

“It was a bad idea when they brought it back. So bad, in fact, they're going to stop selling them,” he proclaims as a red Ford Thunderbird rounds the corner. “Ah, the (Lexus) GX 470. Look at that cheap-looking wood trim,” he continues.

But when an '05 sky-blue Bentley Continental GT arrives, the man is left speechless. And so it goes. Jaws drop, eyes bulge and people stare as our $156,000 (base price) luxury sports coupe cruises by.

For some, raw magnetism may explain why the Continental GT is selling at a rapid pace in the U.S., with 1,700 units expected to be sold this year.

For aficionados, it could be the 552 hp twin-turbo W-12 powerplant with its impressive 479 lb.-ft. (649 Nm) of torque at 1,600 rpm.

Yet, the GT is a bit of a win-lose proposition. At first glance, it appears pure uptown Bentley, sporting the familial mesh grille, round headlamps and stately stance. But climb aboard and the interior smacks as unsuitably common.

That's because Bentley's parent, Volkswagen AG, may have pushed its parts-sharing scheme a bit too far; starting with the ignition key, which is identical to an Audi A4, VW Passat and most other VW models.

Commonality also is found in the GT's center stack, where climate-, navigation- and audio-system controls are similar to ones used in the top-of-the line VW Phaeton and Touareg SUV. The same can be said for the suspension-tuning switchgear.

Interior designers did see to it that some Bentley-ness is preserved; particularly the traditional bull's-eye air vents with chrome organ-stop controls, aluminum pedals and center-mounted analog clock.

The GT also brags the finest leathers to cover its 2+2 seats, instrument and door panels. Unfortunately, our test car had light-blue and tan leather, which lacked harmony.

The exterior design is where the GT excels. Borrowing cues from the classic '52 R-Type Continental and '30 Bentley Speed Six, the '05 GT is hard to mistake for anything else on the road. Bentley stylists gave the car a fluid form that exudes performance and tasteful style.

The bulging shoulders over the wheel wells provide an athletic appearance, and the lack of a B-pillar provides a clean side view. The rear fascia is nicely tapered, albeit somewhat uninspiring.

Under the hood, the GT borrows another important piece from the VW parts bin: its W12 engine. While the basic architecture is shared with the VW Phaeton and Audi A8, its dual turbochargers are unique.

The turbos boost the output of the 420-hp Phaeton and 450-hp A8 to a whopping 552 hp: enough to move this otherwise laborious 5,300-lb. (2,404-kg) machine at an extremely brisk pace, leaving so-called muscle cars in the dust.

What's best about the GT is its Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde dual personality. It is comfortable enough for a luxurious evening on the town, yet powerful enough to overtake anything that gets in its way.

Is this attention-grabbing, elegant yet potent, Continental GT worthy of its 6-figure price tag? For those with the extra bucks — you bet.