- Fourth-gen Bentley Continental GT Speed gets plug-in hybrid power
- It’s the most powerful road-going Bentley ever
- Can travel for up to 50 miles using electricity alone
- Uprated chassis means near-perfect 50:50 weight distribution
Bentley has unveiled its new fourth-gen Continental GT Speed, which arrives with a sophisticated plug-in hybrid powertrain and power of 782 PS.
The new Continental GT Speed is a record-breaker in more ways than one.
Firstly, it’s the British firm’s most powerful road-going car yet created, with the new hybrid engine replacing the retired W12 petrol unit.
Secondly, the GT Speed has also just set an unofficial ‘Underwater Speed’ world record, having been accelerated down Norway’s subsea Ryfylke Tunnel which, at 292 metres below sea level, is the deepest tunnel of any kind in the world.
The GT Speed accelerated from a standstill to its 208 mph in just 33 seconds, with the feat being videoed for a soon-to-be-released film. Watch this space.
While the GT Speed coupe - and the convertible GTC Speed - will sit at the top of Bentley’s Continental GT range, these debut models give us a first look at the Continental’s new design language as a whole.
Bentley says the exterior represents the ‘biggest revision to the face of the Continental GT in two decades’ while it’ll also be the first mainstream Bentley with single headlamps since the 1950s.
The GT has the ‘stance of a resting beast’, says Bentley, and those muscular haunches are a joy to behold. The front of the car is also inspired by the ‘upright elegance of a thoroughbred horse’. Continuing the animal theme, there are new 22-inch alloys that have been designed to mimic a tiger’s claws.
Step inside the cabin and you’ll be met with Bentley’s trademark opulence. Think soft quilted upholstery, 20-way adjustable seats, high-spec sound systems, and an innovative centre display. It’s a three-sided affair that allows you to rotate between a digital screen, analogue dials, and a handcrafted veneer, depending on your mood.
Underpinning everything is an ‘Ultra Performance Hybrid’ powertrain that combines a 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine with a 190 PS electric motor and 25.9 kWh battery mounted in the rear axle.
Power output now stands at 782 PS compared with the outgoing car’s 659 PS while torque has been upped to 1,000 Nm. The GT Speed coupe can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds while the GTC Speed takes a shade longer at 3.2 seconds.
The power is delivered via an eight-speed dual clutch transmission and an electronic limited slip differential (eLSD) to all four wheels
Because it’s a plug-in hybrid, the Bentley Continental GT Speed can travel up to 50 miles using electricity alone, and that full electric mode can also be deployed at speeds of up to 87 mph.
On top of all of that, the GT Speed also enjoys a new ‘Performance Active Chassis’ with a new dual valve damper system and dual chamber air springs for better handling all round. A near 50:50 weight distribution also ensures the fresh GT Speed remains completely planted to the Tarmac - as you’d expect from this iconic grand tourer.
The Bentley Continental GT Speed is expected to cost from £240,000 to buy outright. That noise you can hear is the stampede from Premier League footballers trying to get hold of one…
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