Bentley's Continental GT comes with satellite navigation and i-pad connectivity

Here is what Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Motors Mr Wolfgang Dürheimer had to say as hi unveiled the new Bentley Continental GT at Shanghai Motor Show on April 19.

Good afternoon, Ladies and gentlemen.

Mr Mak has just described the outstanding year we had here in 2010. Those achievements are due in no small part to Mr Mak and his team at Bentley China and I would like to thank everyone for their hard work as we continue to grow in this important market.

And vitally important China now is - both to Bentley and the rest of the automotive sector. In 2010 it was our third largest market but I can now confirm that China is officially number 2. In the first quarter of 2011 we sold 302 cars, up 64%.

We expect this growth to continue. Even though we will expand our dealer network - by one third - this year, we will maintain the standards of quality and customer service that are hallmarks of Bentley.

Ladies and gentlemen, Bentley is not just a car. Our appeal is to customers who expect nothing but the best; the finest luxury, craftsmanship and automotive excellence. And the car at the absolute pinnacle of modern British Motoring is the all-new Bentley Mulsanne.

300 Mulsannes will be supplied to China this year – and all will be different; as individual as their owners such is the unrivalled level of bespoke customisation we can offer.

So I would like to issue an open invitation to come and see us in the hometown of Bentley Motors in England to experience the variety of possibilities and choose your own unique combination.

That ability to tailor our cars to individual tastes means we can also respond to regional demands. Here in China, customers said they loved the Continental Flying Spur but wanted an even more refined ride and a unique luxury interior. We therefore created the Continental Flying Spur China edition you see here behind me. Only available in China, it is helping make this our number one market for Flying Spur.

Ladies and Gentlemen, China is a country which contains such a vibrant mix of the traditional and the modern. In the same way, our brand combines the very latest in automotive technologies with timeless craftsmanship.

China has always valued such skills and is modernising rapidly. The speed of this country is incredible. We already see that in our customers. For many, to be driven in one’s own Bentley marks one out as a success – being in the company of the very best in traditional business, show-business, sports and, of course, royalty.

But many new Chinese customers are drawn to Bentley not only for the prestige and luxury but for the excitement that comes from driving such a car; And we have today a Bentley that is the ultimate in that driving experience, the new Continental GT.

The original GT – launched in 2003 – was the most successful Bentley ever. It effortlessly combined all the hand-crafted luxury and refinement for which Bentley is renowned in a sporty two-door coupe.

Ladies and gentlemen, the new Continental GT – which we will reveal in a minute - retains those attributes but improves each of them in a very typical Bentley way:

* The design is unmistakeably Continental GT.
* The interior uses only the finest soft leather and wood veneers.
* We’ve made it even more spacious;
* Its now got the very latest technology including a new touch-screen satellite navigation system with i-pad connectivity
* And Bentley is of course synonymous with 12 cylinder engines – and the 6-litre W12 now produces a mighty 575PS and a top speed of 318kph - true ‘supercar’ performance.

Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce to China a car that captures the Bentley spirit – the new Continental GT.