If you’re coming from the third-generation Bentley Continental GT, then the main thing you need to know about the fourth is that it’s the same, but better. That about sums it up.
However, you would probably like to know about the powertrain, which is something you will be happy about, or at least ambivalently satisfied with. Because the Bentley Continental GT Speed (RM3.12 million)—which was launched last year as the top-tier Speed variant—has a hybrid system, an inevitable evolution since Crewe’s vaunted W12 was laid to permanent rest only a few months before. But if you were suffering flashbacks about the V6 in the Bentayga, then worry not—as in the Flying Spur update that came out a few months later, the Continental is packing a V8.
Not that there’s anything wrong with the V6, and the one in the Bentayga is perfectly performant. But this is the Continental, something that pretty much stands in a class of its own: a two-door, ultra-large, ultra-luxury long-distance cruiser with an athlete’s edge and an explosive beast trapped under the bonnet. It deserves all the drama it can get.
And what you get is the most powerful Continental yet. Its 4.0l V8, a newly built engine, kicks out 584bhp on its own. That is a relatively modest output, but it was designed with cleanliness and efficiency in mind—for example, its two turbochargers are single-scroll, reducing complexity and minimising emissions. Twin-scroll turbos are traditionally used to reduce lag, but here, that task is offloaded to the electric motor instead. And, speaking of said electric motor, which lives within the transmission housing, it can kick out a pretty consequential 187bhp. Bentley seems to be taking its ‘Ultra Performance Hybrid’ seriously. The total combined power output is a hair-raising 771bhp, which sends the Continental Speed GT from 0-100km/h in a mere 3.2 seconds—impressive, considering that the Continental was always the automotive equivalent of travelling with a full entourage.
With the 25.9kWh battery it has to lug around, it is the heaviest iteration yet—just shy of 2.5 tonnes. Not that it really matters; the Continental comes from a legacy of expert weight disguise and, in some ways, it is now easier than ever. System torque has improved by 11 per cent over the last W12, to a combined maximum of 1,000Nm, in no small part thanks to electric propulsion. Top speed, by the way, is 335km/h. There is even a charge mode, which uses the engine to top up the battery—not the most efficient use of fossil fuels, but it ensures that, after a long cross-country excursion, you can still potter around town in elegant quietness. Full electric mode takes you up to 140km/h with a rated range of 81km.
When it comes to the chassis, there are a lot of broad familiarities returning—all-wheel drive, electronic limited slip differential, rear-wheel steering, torque vectoring, and an active anti-roll system. The suspension has been overhauled, though, with a new dual valve damper system and dual chamber air springs, which increases the range of tuning settings: Comfort is comfier, Sport is edgier, and the signature Bentley mode is, well, as before, meant to be nicely in the middle, so it feels much the same. Replacing the W12 with a lighter V8 and positioning the battery behind the rear axle has also nudged the weight distribution towards a slight rear bias—49:51, to be precise—which is an intriguing dynamic change for the traditionally nose-heavy Continental. And even if it is easy to forget, thanks to all that sumptuous leather, finely knurled knobs, and hand-stitched diamond quilt patterning, this is a car where the traction control can be dialled down all the way to off, leaving the exact amount of tire smoke up to the driver.
There’s really not much to say about the inside that hasn’t already been said about Bentley’s exquisite craftsmanship or the cushiness of its 20-way adjustable seats. The whole thing leans very traditional, with the gear selector still a prominent, knobby lever referencing a time when actual shifting was required (it wasn’t that long ago, was it?) and plenty of real buttons on the centre console for climate control and the like. The screens are somewhat modest, if compared to the tech-focused EVs of today, but are perfectly reasonable otherwise and suit the Continental’s outlook. And, of course, the Bentley Rotating Display is back, which means the 12.3-inch central touchscreen can be spun away to reveal a blank fascia, or a trio of analogue dials that are readouts for temperature, a compass, and a clock. The latter is not meaningfully useful in the slightest, but is definitely the most atmospheric option.
So, when it comes to actual, day-to-day use, the Continental GT has evolved but hasn’t fundamentally changed at all. And that’s a good thing. It is still the pre-eminent option for the do-it-all luxury grand tourer—quiet and soft over hundreds of kilometres at a time, yet ready for action and petrol-powered drama at the touch of a button and twitch of the foot. It’s not sporty in the sense of track-minded mid-engined cars half its weight and length, but there’s a different sort of thrill and awe when you feel all that technology and engineering combating all that weight and size in the corners. Just about the only change that can be subjectively argued is that the Continental has lost its four-eyed gaze—replaced by a pair of single front headlamps with an eyebrow-like slash in the middle of them. That one, you can take or leave—everything else is pretty much a straight upgrade.
