Bentley Continental GT review

The world’s best grand tourer. Now more dynamic than ever before. We’ve heard this a lot over the years. Ever since Bentley first gave lux-hungry buyers a Continental GT back in 2004, it’s been making it more sporting. The comfort stuff it has always done brilliantly, but the original, with its enormous 6.0-litre twin turbo W12 mounted atop the front wheels, was a nose-heavy motor.

Over the years it was sharpened, but there’s only so much you can do with a burly two-tonne 4WD coupe. The all new car that came along in 2018 had a more rakish profile and the handling to match, but despite Bentley’s best efforts was still a bit blunt and heavy when pushed.

What’s happened now?

The W12 has gone and batteries have arrived.

And this has made things better has it?

There’s a lot to unpack here, but overall yes. Let’s start with the bad stuff though. The most handling-focused version of the previous Conti GT was the 650bhp W12 Speed. It arrived in 2021 with the ability to send more power to the rear wheels for full-on smoky drifts. It still weighed 2,273kg. This new one is almost 200kg heavier.

Because batteries. It’s now a plug-in hybrid, the W12 replaced in the nose by a lighter twin turbo V8, while the batteries are in the rear to balance out the weight distribution seesaw. Which is now 49:51. That’s right, there’s more weight over the rear wheels than there is over the fronts.

Actually, we say V8 has replaced W12, but the V8 has long been available as the ‘entry level’ Conti GT. This is no entry-level model. In fact it’s the most powerful Bentley road car there’s ever been, with 584bhp from the internal combustion augmented by a 187bhp e-motor sitting between engine (actually an all new V8) and eight-speed twin clutch gearbox. So 771bhp in total. And even with that having to push against 2,459kg, this car can hit 62mph from a standing start in 3.2 seconds.

Ah, it’s essentially a rocket-powered throne then?

That’s one way of putting it. Another would be to point out that this is a very, very sophisticated car now. Underneath it has four-wheel steering, twin chamber dampers, an electronic diff and torque vectoring. These chassis upgrades are where the money has been spent.

So it’s still basically the same car underneath?

Correct, after six years on sale this is essentially a good midlife facelift. Extensive enough that 68 per cent of parts are new, including an entirely overhauled electric architecture and aircon system. This amount of work under the skin means less money was available to make it look different. The body panels are carried over, but the front and rear ends are new.

You’ll have spotted the headlights because – shock, horror – the new Conti doesn’t have twin lamps either side for the first time ever. Instead a slash of eyelash adds identity to the single lamps. Initially we thought it was a slightly nouveau touch for a Bentley. But then we remembered that’s what Bentley now is for most of its global clientele.

Tell me more about the hybrid. Is this the same at the Bentayga’s?

No, thank goodness. The Bentayga hybrid uses a six cylinder engine with a more modest battery that can’t recharge itself on the move. This is much more comprehensive and the 25.9kWh battery (22.0kWh usable) means a 50-mile claimed range. Still no fast charging, so you’re looking at a best of 11kW (2.45hrs on a home charger), but Bentley has realised what we all guessed: e-charging isn’t a luxurious experience, so no-one bothers doing it anywhere other than home.

The hybrid does allow them to claim this 2.5-tonne coupe emits 29g/km of CO2. Poppycock.

Will there be a non-hybrid Conti GT?

Doubtful. At the moment the official line is that ‘no non-hybrid is planned’. But there will have to be something else in the pipeline. This one is badged ‘Speed’ which is traditionally the fastest Conti GT. You’d have to assume a lesser one is coming down the pipe at some stage to reduce the entry ticket below the £236,600 this one costs.

Or maybe not. We’ve seen other luxury brands reduce production numbers and up the sticker price in order to create demand and reinforce residuals. Bentley may well feel compelled to do the same. Head to the Buying section for more on this.

Incidentally, good pub fact for you: sometime early next year Bentley expects to build its 100,000th Conti GT.

What rivals does it have?

Let’s start with the enemies within: As well as the coupe, there’s a hybrid GTC Speed convertible. And the Flying Spur saloon is soon receiving the same facelift and powertrain.

In terms of long distance comfort, there’s no other two-door to touch this one. Aston’s DB12 is a fine machine, but with its more confined cockpit and busier manners it’s not as relaxing as this. And nor is any other supposed GT, all of which from the Maserati Gran Turismo and Ferrari Roma to Porsche’s 911 Turbo make great play of their sporting prowess, much less of their refinement.

But is the Conti as good to drive as them?

Hmm. No. This is the best handling Conti GT there’s ever been. It disguises its weight brilliantly and flows around tight corners in a way that shouldn’t be possible for anything on the top side of two tonnes. It’s a wonderfully flattering and satisfying car to drive. But it’s not thrilling in the same way those rivals are. They are more connected, responsive, agile and raucous than the Bentley.

But these new dampers don’t half improve matters. And not in the way you think. In Sport mode they’re not much stiffer than before, but in Comfort they’re quite a bit softer, which results in this pillowy, downy ride that is perhaps our single favourite aspect to the way the new Conti drives. More on all this in the Driving tab.

This is a car that understands its role better than almost any other. In that regard, nothing has changed, it just now performs that role better than it ever has before. The V8 hybrid powertrain suits the Conti GT very well indeed and the driving experience has blossomed – yes, it’s faster, but it’s the smoothness of response and sheer capability here that are the stand out features.

Since the role hasn’t changed (and in essence, neither have the looks) we can’t see the Conti GT bringing in many new customers who weren’t previously persuaded. Maybe one or two will appreciate the move to hybrid and low tailpipe emissions, but another one or two may bemoan the departure of the W12. That would be a mistake as this hybrid V8 is a superior powerplant in every way. And this car is now better than it’s ever been.