Key Takeaways
- New Bentley Continental GT Speed will be revealed on June 25.
- Bentley confirms 208-mph top speed.
- New “underwater” speed record claimed.
Bentley has announced the reveal date for the new Continental GT Speed: Tuesday, the 25th of June. The fourth-generation grand tourer has already been confirmed as the most powerful Bentley to date, producing 771 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque, thanks to the Ultra Performance Hybrid V8, an electrified twin-turbo eight-cylinder. This will give Bentley a plug-in hybrid option in every model it sells. In this case, that translates to an all-electric range of 50 miles on the WLTP cycle. The British automaker has also confirmed the new GT’s top speed – 208 mph.
Bentley
Bentley Motors Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury automobiles. Its early history (particularly during the 1920s) is marked by several wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, and although the brand still competes in various motorsport disciplines around the world, it’s become synonymous with Rolls-Royce (once its owner) as a purveyor of exquisite luxury goods and fine design. Its Mulliner division creates ultra-exclusive bespoke vehicles, carrying on a long-standing tradition of coachbuilding that H.J. Mulliner & Co. started in 1897.
- Founded
- 18 January 1919
- Founder
- Walter Owen Bentley
- Headquarters
- Crewe, England
- Owned By
- Volkswagen Group
- Current CEO
- Adrian Hallmark, as of October 1 2024
“Underwater Speed Record”
Bentley also teases an arbitrary new “underwater speed record,” set in the Ryfylke Tunnel in Norway, the “longest subsea road tunnel and the deepest of any kind on the planet.” We’ll see a video of this 208-mph run when the new Conti GT is revealed.
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We can also look forward to improved handling, thanks to the combination of a 48-volt electric active anti-roll controller, new dual-valve dampers, and the usual additions of all-wheel drive with torque vectoring and an electronic limited-slip differential.
Combustion Will Live Another Decade
It’s a shame that the iconic W12 has reached the end of the line to be replaced by a hybrid V8, but it was either that or a premature jump to electric vehicles. Crewe blames the delay of its first EV to 2027 on technical and software issues, but it’s a good thing that it’ll be late when the luxury market is gravitating further away from EVs and closer to vehicles that provide emotional sounds, sensations, and smells.
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Therefore, Bentley will only stop selling combustion cars in 2033 at the earliest. Given how many times automakers’ EV goals have shifted, even this date should be taken with a pinch of salt. But enough about the distant future – there’s a new, extremely powerful Bentley coming soon, and we should celebrate what it is rather than what it is not. We’ll see you back here next week to do just that.
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