Somehow the idea of the grand tour prevails. Its roots may be in the aristocracy 17th and 18th 19th-century campaign for self-improvement, but we know it better as a two-letter abbreviation plastered on the back of a fancy car: Grand Tourism. Ettore Bugatti dismissed his great rival Bentley’s early efforts as fast trucks, but the name is synonymous with a lavish, almost hedonistic attitude toward life.
Since its arrival in 2003, the Continental GT has set the brand on a lucrative new trajectory. With almost 100,000 cars sold, the stakes are high. So this latest incarnation doesn’t interfere too much with the postmodern aesthetic. According to Ettore’s scathing observation, a century after the giant Bentley that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Continental coupe and convertible retain some weight.
It was actually in 1952. Continental type R that served as inspiration for the design, and this fourth-generation car maintains the strident grille, elongated hood and extravagant curve of the rear fenders. A strong sense of opulence is underpinned by an ironclad commitment to high performance.
The proportions remain intact, but some details have been changed. The headlights now feature a questionable horizontal “eyebrow”, with a dazzling crystal-cut diamond effect on top, and matrix lamps incorporating 120 separate LED elements. Crystal and diamonds in a single set of headlights is no easy task.
At the rear, the bumper, taillights, trunk lid and exhaust pipes have been redesigned. The boot lid is also shaped more aerodynamically to avoid the need for a spoiler while still offering appropriate levels of downforce. A shape as voluptuous as this needs big wheels to do its best work, and the Continental GT Speed has new 22-inch “turbine” effect wheels. It’s all very elegant.
Hybrid, with EV mode
Photography: Bentley Motors
But the real juice here is in how Bentley has amplified the history of technology. Out goes the raucous old combustion W12 and in comes an all-new powertrain – an “ultra-performance hybrid” in Bentley parlance.
It combines a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that produces 584 hp with an electric motor that adds an additional 187 hp. That means a maximum system output of 771 bhp, 738 lb-ft of torque and enough grunt to deliver a top speed of 208 mph (335 km/h) and a 0-60 mph time of 3.1 seconds. These are heady figures for a car that was always heavy, but now weighs less than 2.5 tonnes for an athletic human. Heavens.
By the way, this also makes the Continental GT Speed the most powerful series production car in Bentley’s long history.
Fortunately, the new car is more nuanced in the way it deploys its firepower. It really has magnificent and carefully designed bandwidth. As Bentley prepares an all-new all-electric car (launching in 2026), the hybrid takes on greater importance than initially predicted. “The plug-in hybrid was considered a transitional vehicle,” says Bentley, “but it is now playing a larger role due to changes in consumer habits.”
To paraphrase, high-net-worth people with multi-car garages aren’t especially enamored of high-end electric vehicles, regardless of how extreme their performance may be. Ferrari’s long-awaited BEV lands in 2025; maybe that will be the one that finally moves the needle.