- New, fourth-generation Bentley Continental GT to be revealed in June
- First Bentley to use brand’s new plug-in hybrid 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine
- Powertrain makes 771 hp, 738 lb-ft and offers 50 miles of EV range
Update 6/18: Bentley has confirmed that the next generation Continental GT will be revealed on June 25, 2024. The company also provided another darkened teaser, but more interestingly, they also announced a rather unusual speed record. The Continental GT achieved a new underwater speed record of 208 mph (335 km/h) in the Ryfylke Tunnel in Norway, the world’s longest undersea passage.
Last week Bentley dropped details about its new PHEV V8 engine and successor to the W12, and this week it’s teasing the first model to get that powertrain. The 2025 Continental GT will debut in June and deliver even more power than the outgoing W12 model that dies this summer.
Bentley released two images of the new car wrapped in light camouflage, and they show that while the old car’s muscular stance and powerful rear quarters – both inspired by 1952’s R Type Continental – have been carried over, the design team has incorporated some notable visual upgrades seen recently on limited edition Mulliner projects.
Related: V8 Bentley Continental And Flying Spur Bow Out With Special “Edition 8” In North America
The old car’s quad light setup has been cut down to a single pair of oval lights, each featuring Cleopatra-style eyeliner flourishes bleeding from each corner, just like the lamps seen on 2021’s Bacalar. The slimmer rear lights also appear to be inspired by the Bacalar’s, but while that car had a relatively tall and upright grille, the new Conti’s appears shorter and wider, and canted slightly backward for better aerodynamics.
It’s a handsome coupe but might disappoint anyone who was hoping the more daring design ideas showcased on the $2 million Batur would be passed down to the merely expensive Continental GT, as well as the GTC we’ll no doubt meet in the coming months.
Some buyers might also be disappointed that Bentley’s W12 is no longer an option, the automaker having axed the big motor this year. But what the new Continental’s sole powertrain gives away in cylinders it makes up for in horses. Bentley’s first hybrid application based on the 542 hp (550 PS) VW Group V8 previously available in non-electrified form in the brand’s other cars makes 771 hp (782 PS) and 738 lb-ft, compared with 650 hp (659 PS) and 664 lb-ft (900 Nm) for the last of the W12 coupes.
It also offers a 50-mile (80 km) electric driving range and drives all four wheels through a more sophisticated chassis that combines active all-wheel drive with torque vectoring, four-wheel steering, an electronic rear LSD, 48-volt electric anti-roll bars and new adaptive dual-valve dampers. Bentley doesn’t quote performance figures on land, but zero to 60 mph (97 kmh) in around 3 seconds and a top speed of close to 210 mph (338 kmh) seems likely.
