What's all this about?
Bentley is overhauling the Continental GT range, giving it fresh exterior looks, an even more opulent cabin and a revised W12 engine that's both more powerful and more frugal.
Start with the outside, then.
A minor change only, given the design is ageing beautifully. Revised bumpers front and rear, a smaller radiator shell, new badging on the flanks, wider front wings (with a B-branded vent now incorporated) and a fresh rear diffuser design for the V8 S and GT Speed models are the key revisions. There are a host of new 20- and 21-inch alloy wheels, while three new body colours - Marlin (deep blue), Camel (golden) and Jetstream (light blue) - are offered.
Now usher me into the cabin.
There you'll find updated dials and graphics in the instrument cluster, a sports-orientated steering wheel design, larger paddleshifts, new leather designs and two new colours (Shortbread and Camel), and some trinketry in the form of LED illumination and revised brightwork. Optional equipment extends to semi-aniline hide for the seats, the ability to have the Alcantara headlining colour-matched to any of the 17 interior hues and the availability of on-board Wi-Fi.
And how about that engine?
The biggest change is for the 'regular', non-GT Speed W12, which has power and torque hikes from 575- to 590hp and 700- to 720Nm respectively. It also features a 'variable displacement system' (VDS), which - like the smaller V8 Continental - now allows the W12 to shut off half of its cylinders under light throttle loads. Bentley says this has improved the car's green credentials, with emissions of 329g/km CO2 and 20mpg average fuel economy.
Hold on - doesn't the Flying Spur share a lot of its architecture with the Continental GT?
Yes, and the big saloon also has many of these updates incorporated, with VDS for the 625hp/800Nm version of its W12, the new exterior and interior colours and the revised cabin architecture.
When will these cars be available?
Following on from a Geneva Motor Show debut, the refreshed Continental GT and Flying Spur Bentleys will be with customers from this summer.
Matt Robinson - 17 Feb 2015