Terry Burkhart trucks her blues away aboard a Bentley Continental GT
Between the dates of the Moto GP, the Monterey Historics and the ALMS at
Laguna Seca, hardly a day goes by that something special doesn’t cruise by my
house in Pacific Grove. After a while the "old seen that before" feeling comes
around. Terrible I know but the peninsula is an automotive Mecca of sorts.
There is one car that I have given a pass to and that is the Bentley Continental
GT. I have followed the progress of the GT since the announcement that Bentley
was going to build them. Of course the cost of the GT is tough to justify, I had a
difficult time justifying the purchase of my Lexus SC 430 a few years ago and the
Bentley is a two times plus type of acquisition. Seeing a GT on the road around
here or parked at Pebble Beach during the concours just gave me the blues.
My blues went walking about a month ago. I had the pleasure of driving the
Continental GT. Kerry Morse had custody of a new model for a week and the
timing of having it for the ALMS race was no coincidence. For three days I watched
the sleek beauty and beast slink out my driveway along the beach with the waves
crashing behind in the distance. I couldn't wait to get behind the wheel and feel
the power on Highway 1 heading towards Big Sur.
After Sunday's final event at the track, I got my chance. Just sitting behind the
wheel I could feel its powers taking me over just as I imagined. Pulling out of the
driveway slowly and taking in every element of this beautiful car, I was on my way.
When I hit the highway I put my foot heavy on the gas pedal and I was right, the
beast was just waiting to be unleashed, in me as well as the Continental GT. For
something that looks this good, it should be locked up.
Automotive lust on four 19" wheels.
As I went down the road I was so immersed and focused on how secure I felt in
this car I was oblivious to what else was going on around me. The car held steady
taking the winding road with mountains to my left and ocean cliffs to my right. I
turned around and pulled off just to savor the feeling of power the Bentley
Continental GT provided me if only for an instant. I came back to reality and drove
back to Carmel and turned down Ocean Ave. I pulled into a gas station to refuel, a
tourist couple came over to see what kind of car it was and ask how I liked the car,
and my answer, I WANT ONE. The Continental GT does not have the "don't come
near me" aura that some Ferrari's ( and their owners ) possess. Even the Arnage
has that feeling. Not so with the GT, people look, admire and ask about this
Bentley.
Unlike my Lexus SC, the backseat is useable and the trunk has plenty of space
for luggage and a horse saddle. I was told by a Carmel resident that it is a great
chick magnet, but I'm sure the reverse works too...I guess the only negative I can
see is it loves to eat fuel, maybe if I use it as a ranch car I could write it off.
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