Bentley's Chassis Chief Drives Continental GT S Up Goodwood Hill, Shares Insights on Dynamics and Owner Feedback
Craig Nicolson, Bentley's Head of Chassis Dynamic Systems, took a 680 PS Continental GT S up the Goodwood Hill, describing the experience as a chance to showcase the car's adjustability and to engage candidly with VIP c…
- 680 PS
- just over 3 seconds
What Happened
Craig Nicolson, Bentley's Head of Chassis Dynamic Systems, drove a 680 PS Continental GT S up the Goodwood Hill at the Festival of Speed. He described the run as a demonstration rather than a timed event, pushing the car to about 9.5 tenths. The car accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in just over three seconds, and he executed a series of turns, including the infamous Wall, with precise braking and throttle control.
just over 3 secondsseconds
Continental GT S
“It feels great to be able to show off the potential of the car in a way that might not be expected by either the passenger or the crowd. The S is obviously fast – but it also has an adjustability and playfulness when you go looking for it.”
Nicolson emphasized that the festival provides an opportunity for candid communication with VIP customers. He enjoys hearing owners' honest feedback and sharing development stories, noting that this interaction usually happens behind closed doors, making Goodwood special.
“I watched one of my colleagues showboating past the house in the Supersports and the whole crowd started clapping and cheering. ... But we also show that the cars are to be taken seriously. A Bentley, especially the Supersports, will do some properly fast runs when the stopwatch is running.”
Previously from Bentley Motors Ltd.
Bentley displayed 14 cars at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, including the new Supersports (as per prior coverage). A dramatic photograph captured the Pymkhana Supersports doing a burnout, a moment referred to by Craig Nicolson in today's interview.
- Bentley Supersports Burnout at Goodwood Festival of Speed Captured in Dramatic Photograph
- Bentley Displays 14 Cars at Goodwood Festival of Speed, Including New Supersports and 1926 Super Sports
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Bentley Motors Ltd.'s official releases.
Why this matters
The Goodwood Festival of Speed provides Bentley engineers a rare public platform to demonstrate vehicle dynamics and gather unfiltered feedback from owners. For prospective buyers, it underscores the brand's commitment to driving character. For the company, it strengthens customer relationships by putting the developers behind the wheel alongside their clients.
Terms in This Story
- PS
- Metric horsepower unit, 1 PS ≈ 0.986 horsepower.
- Goodwood Hill
- The 1.16-mile (1.87 km) hill climb used at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
- tenths
- A scale of driving intensity, where 10/10ths represents maximum effort.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.