It’s all change at Bentley and the new fourth-generation Continental GT Coupé. The British luxury car maker has pensioned off the W12 powerplant and replaced it with a V8 PHEV engine. This electrified transformation has resulted in the fastest two-door GT coupé the company has ever made. It now produces a whopping output of 771bhp. It’s blindingly quick too, and Crewe’s claims of 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds proved accurate when I tested the Speed Hybrid model high up in the Swiss Alps. Push to the limits of your bravery, not something you’d try up here, and it will reach 202mph while you sit comfortably in a cabin that envelopes you in buffed wood and buttery cream leather.
The pursuit of a perfect 50:50 weight distribution – essential in a car this heavy – was foremost for Bentley’s engineers. This is helped by placing the battery in the boot, engineering in new anti-roll bars, suspension and stability controls, which turn this leviathan into a fleet-footed dancing partner with scarcely believable levels of all-wheel-drive grip.
Key highlights of the exterior design include a sleek, aerodynamic profile, a new front fascia with single headlamps, a redesigned rear with smoked tail lamps, and a range of wheel options.
According to Bentley, the new Continental GT Speed Hybrid produces 90 percent fewer emissions than the previous GT and 50 miles of fully electric driving in E-Mode. Not interested in grappling with charging cables at the side of the road? Smart regenerative recharging is available to top up the battery at the press of a button, too.
Did I miss the W12 engine? No. Conversely, what impressed me more was the sheer silence in electric mode. Yes, the new V8 engine is a thriller, but the silence in this GT is surprisingly addictive.
The cabin of the Continental GT features a dashboard design inspired by the Bentley badge’s wings. There are extensive customization options and a focus on comfort and well-being for driver and passengers.
Another benefit of Bentley’s reduced emissions is a newfound agility. By fitting a lighter V8 engine, there is less weight over the front axle. This shift towards a less nose-heavy Continental GT, combined with chassis tweaks including an electronic differential, new twin-chamber damping and torque vectoring, transforms the car. The result is a big GT that propels itself through corners like never before. Here at last, as a driver’s GT car, the Bentley Continental GT Speed Hybrid has come good.
From £235,365. Find out more, HERE.
Words: Mark Gallivan
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