The Bentley Continental GT Speed

Bentley’s new hybrid grand tourer isn’t just a luxurious cruiser – it’s a nimble, mean machine. In fact, it’s the fastest Bentley road car ever made.

Supercars get all the hype, SUVs all the sales and sports cars all the thrills, but there’s one category of car that has kept the automotive industry enthralled and enamoured: the grand tourer. True GTs are a fine balance of splendour, speed, comfort, dynamics and emotion. They’re high-performing driver’s cars engineered to be enjoyed but share the centre of a Venn diagram with effortlessness in comfort and opulence. Right now, we find ourselves in a magnificent and ever-evolving era of the GT. We’ve seen the Ferrari Roma, Aston Martin DB, Porsche Panamera and Taycan, Audi e-tron GT and Mercedes-AMG GT all rise to the occasion. However, none of these would be the luxe, speedy cruisers they are had it not been for the Bentley Continental GT, which raised the bar for the modern era of the category.

They’re high-performing driver’s cars engineered to be enjoyed but share the centre of a Venn diagram with effortlessness in comfort and opulence.

First launched in 2003, the Bentley Continental GT arrived as a bug-eyed beast that balanced the beauty, comfort and prestige of the historic marque with the menacing prowess of Bentley’s epic W12 engine. It laid a benchmark for a luxury GT and, over its lifetime, continuously proved it was a force to be reckoned with on the road, at the racetrack, on the ice and on uphill climbs. Now in its fourth generation, the new 2025 Bentley Continental GT Speed is doing it all over again. This time, in place of the W12, a plug-in-hybrid 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 and electric motor combo makes it the fastest Bentley on the road.

For its first official jaunt (and our test drive), Bentley decided to launch the new Continental GT Speed in Andermatt, Switzerland, a playground of 4,440 summits, dream-like serpentine roads lined with snow and cliff faces and where hairpins and mountain-cutting tunnel straights abound. In numbers, the new Continental GT Speed has plenty to brag about – a combined output of 575kW of power and 1000Nm of torque, a blinding 0-100km/h sprint of 3.2 seconds, 81 kilometres of electric-only driving and a total range of 859 kilometres. If you combine the myriad styling offerings from the marque’s bespoke Mulliner division, there are 46 billion combinations to consider.

In its new form – available as a coupe and a convertible – the Continental GT Speed has a sharper presence, more refinement and a cleaner look, thanks to some rejigging of the aerodynamics.

In its new form – available as a coupe and a convertible – the Continental GT Speed has a sharper presence, more refinement and a cleaner look, thanks to some rejigging of the aerodynamics. Bentley’s signature crystal-like lights have been transformed up front with an ‘eyebrow’ through them, which design chief Robin Page says was inspired by a tiger on the prowl. On the rear, the gorgeous multidimensional tail-lights are now wider and give the effect of simmering lava. The interiors have drawn inspiration from the exquisite and exclusive coach-built Bentley Mulliner Batur – it’s familiar but less ostentatious than previous Continental generations. Among the many bespoke choices is the 3D-textured leather effect, a sophisticated geometric, reverse-embossed finish that mimics diamond-stitched leather. This option made its debut in the Flying Spur and speaks directly to luxury today – clean, detailed and craftsmanship-focused.

We’re running on R75 biofuel borrowed from Bentley’s cousin brand Porsche, not that you’d notice – but it is a little hint that the ICE engine is not entirely dead. Bentley recently stated that it is investing more in hybrid technology and anticipates hybrids to hang around until at least 2030. Which is good news, because this one is brilliant. Out on the sublime roads of the Swiss Alps, the Continental GT Speed is an epic drive. Sure, the 2+2 seat saloon cuts a stunning shape and the comfort factor meets every expectation, but there’s a new level of trickery afoot, a sum of engineering parts that makes this GT perform with huge-smile appeal. As we wind through villages and climb down the summits, the Continental devours corners with ease and, despite being heavier than its predecessor, it feels much nimbler. The ride is smooth and planted, the steering is pleasantly weighty and the switch between electric-only, comfort and sport modes is effortless. However, the temptation to plant your foot down to listen for the gurgling symphony of the V8 is dangerously strong. It feels offensive to have called it a cruiser now because the sheer immediacy of power deployed when called upon is insane, and even in the silent EV mode, the car has plenty of personality. The addition of a 140kW electric motor, eight-speed, dual-clutch gearbox, new chassis and ride system with 48V active anti-roll control can all take credit for this.

The Continental’s glow-up shows that the future of the GT is going to be a sharp and joyous one.

The Continental’s glow-up shows that the future of the GT is going to be a sharp and joyous one. Bentley won’t tell you it’s created a GT race car in disguise, but we suspect there have been a few notes passed around in the engineering department laced with ambition. Because the Continental GT Speed is plenty of fun, super fast, seriously lush and an incredibly hard GT to fault.

The Bentley Continental GT Speed is priced from $581,900, plus on road costs; bentleymotors.com