New Bentley Continental GT Speed Debuts with a 771-HP V8 PHEV Heart

The fourth-gen Bentley Continental GT Speed breaks cover with a 771-HP-rated V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain.

In the impending electromobility era, quirky engine displacements are becoming a thing of the past rather quickly. Besides Bugatti, which recently dropped its signature W16 mill for a more ‘reasonable’ V16 layout, Bentley also recently said goodbye to its iconic W12 engine, replacing them with a new V8 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) setup instead.

And the new V8 PHEV has finally found its new home in the form of the all-new, next-gen Bentley Continental GT Speed. Besides its new semi-electrified powertrain setup, the new Continental GT Speed also benefits from several tech and design upgrades over the model it replaces.

Starting with the visuals, the new, fourth-gen Continental GT gets a new yet familiar front face, featuring a new pair of LED matrix headlights. No longer featuring the Conti’s iconic quad-light arrangement, the new LED unit makes the Conti GT look closer to its super-rare sibling, the W12-powered Bentley Batur.

The new LED unit is paired with a smaller front grille and a new front bumper, while being complemented with slim oval-shaped taillights that feature jewel-like LED graphics inside them. Despite having a new front face, the new Continental GT retains its signature long-hooded GT profile with muscular fenders and swooping shoulder lines.

The old Continental identity can also be seen as we get inside the new Conti GT’s cabin, which features a perfect harmony of luxury and high-tech while being laced with some sporty bits here and there. Key highlights present here are the new quilt pattern on its plush upholstery, upgraded front seats with 20-way adjustable functions, Bentley’s signature 12.3-inch rotating display, the same button-laden central console layout as the previous model, and three available audio systems, with the flagship one being the 2,200 watts-rated system from Naim, featuring 18 speakers.

As per any Bentley model, the new Continental GT Speed is offered with several high-quality materials and colour trims for its cabin, not to mention the more sophisticated personalisation option by Bentley’s Mulliner bespoke arm.

The new Continental GT is now powered by a new V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain setup.

By far the biggest change for the new Continental GT model lies under its long front hood, with the flagship Speed model no longer being powered by a W12 engine. Instead, a new ‘Ultra Performance Hybrid’ PHEV system fills the void, with the setup comprising a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 mill rated at 591 HP by itself, which is then mated to a single electric motor that has been integrated within its 8-speed DCT automatic gearbox.

Altogether, this new V8 plug-in hybrid setup delivers a stellar total system output of 771 HP and 1,000 NM, making the new Continental GT Speed the most powerful Bentley model ever made. Straight-line century performance reads at a decent 3.2 seconds, which is 0.4 seconds faster than the previous-gen, W12-powered GT Speed model. Flat out, the new GT Speed can go at up to 335 KM/H.

New fourth-gen Bentley Continental GTC Speed V8 PHEV

Meanwhile, its convertible twin, the Continental GTC Speed, gets a slower century sprint time of 3.4 seconds, while its V-Max is capped lower at 285 KM/H.

The new Continental GT’s electrification is sourced from a 25.9-kWh PHEV battery pack mounted at its rear axle for optimum weight balance. This small pack is good enough to grant the new Conti GT an EV-only range of up to 81 KM, while its combined WLTP range reads 895 KM. Via an AC 11 kW outlet, said pack can be fully charged in about 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Besides the new electrified powertrain setup, the new Continental GT Speed also benefits from several other mechanical upgrades. Key highlights include an all-wheel drive system with an electronic limited-slip differential on the rear axle and rear-wheel steering (RWS), the sophisticated Bentley Performance Active Chassis with a 48-volt active roll stabilisation system, a new two-chamber air suspension system with dual-valve adaptive dampers, and a new stability control software.

All in all, these mechanical upgrades promise the new Continental GT Speed to deliver more comfort and better body control compared to the previous model, while at the same time not compromising on its driving performance and dynamics. Not to forget, the new Conti GT also comes with either a standard ventilated disc or a more potent carbon-silicon carbide disc for its braking system, with both of them featuring ten-piston front callipers and four-piston rear ones.

Deliveries of the all-new, fourth-gen Bentley Continental GT Speed and the GTC Speed convertible are set to commence later in Q3 this year. Just like previous Continental GT models, the fourth-gen model will also be manufactured at Bentley’s Crewe factory, with pricing details set to be unveiled at a later date.