Fans of continent-crushing cigar lounges on wheels, today is your lucky day, because Bentley has just pulled the covers off this: the fourth-generation Continental GT Speed. Upon first inspection, it seems the men and women in Crewe have gone with an “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach, but take a closer look and you’ll see several big changes. Inside, this new Continental GT will feel very familiar to any Flying B fanatics, albeit with the introduction of an air ionisation system, 3D leather, and a new dark chrome finish. Now that’s out the way, let’s get to the good stuff.
The most obvious change has to be the Continental GT’s new face. Gone are the iconic four circular headlights that have graced Bentleys since the 1950s, making way for a new single headlight setup clearly inspired by those first seen on the incredible EXP 100 GT concept car from 2019, and more recently the limited-run Bacalar. The new, larger tail lights also borrow some of the Bacalar’s genes, while the rest of the new Continental GT’s body stick’s to the previous car’s handsome proportions. While the body is familiar, Bentley state that this new car utilises 68 percent new components, many of which are in the drivetrain and suspension.
Speaking of which, this new Continental GT Speed packs a whopping 771 horsepower, thanks to a 591 bhp 4.0-litre V8 working in conjunction with a 188 bhp E-Motor. The Continental GT wasn’t exactly a lightweight to begin with, and the addition of a 25.9 kWh battery has taken the kerb weight up to almost 2.5 tonnes, but don’t think for a second this car is a slouch. The 0-60mph sprint is dispatched in 3.1 seconds, and it will comfortably hit an eye-watering 208 mph. So comfortably, that Bentley has set the new underwater world speed record by rocketing to 208 mph in Norway’s Ryfylke Tunnel. Perhaps the most impressive stat, though, is that it did so in just 33 seconds!
To combat this extra heft, the Continental GT has been upgraded with a new dual chamber air suspension and a dual valve damper system, helping to improve upon the previous generation’s already supernatural cornering ability. Even better, thanks to the battery pack’s placement, Bentley can now claim a perfect 50:50 weight distribution. Overall, the fourth-generation Continental GT is more evolutionary than revolutionary, and with Aston Martin’s DB12 looking more appealing than ever, it will be interesting to see if the Bentley retains the grand touring crown.
