There’s something delightfully improper about an elegant luxury car that has the moves of a Ferrari. It’s like watching Kevin Durant doing his trademark pull-up jump shot over three defenders while wearing a tuxedo.
Bentley’s all-new fourth-generation Continental GT Hybrid, introduced in the Philippines earlier this year, does exactly that. It’s a large luxury 2+2 coupe that belies its expansive dimensions and formidable weight by accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in a blistering 3.1 seconds and reaching a top speed of a breathtaking 335 km/h.
Not bad for a vehicle that’s just an inch shorter and narrower—and more importantly, heavier—than a Toyota Land Cruiser. And does so while sipping fuel like a proper plug-in hybrid.
Propelling the Continental GT is Bentley’s Ultra Performance Hybrid system that pairs a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with an electric motor. Together, it produces 782 hp and 1,000 Nm of torque — making it the most powerful production Bentley ever — while enabling more than 80 kilometers of purely electric driving range. Transmitting power to the Continental GT’s all-wheel drive system is an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Kuala Lumpur, where I got to drive the Continental GT, has much less traffic than Metro Manila. Their highways and elevated expressways are much closer to the city proper, enabling drivers there to hit 100 km/h a mere 10 minutes after exiting KL’s CBD.
Malaysians are fast drivers; on every expressway, the majority of them are doing 90-100 km/h. Which is why our Malaysian backseat tour guide/racecar driver encouraged me to try to hit 200 km/h on the Maju Expressway (where he says speed limits are largely unenforced).
We were cruising at 100 km/h. I switched to Sport Mode (for sharper response and an angrier exhaust note), flicked the paddle shifter for a downshift, and floored the throttle. In just nine seconds, the Continental GT Hybrid rocketed from 100 to 200 km/h, the car doing so effortlessly while feeling planted and rock solid at those speeds. (Remember, it can do 335 km/h, so 200 in a Bentley feels like 100 in most cars.)
We also drove up and down mountain roads on the outskirts of KL to get a feel of the car’s handling. The roads were narrow, so the big Bentley coupe ended up filling up most of the lane, forcing me to be pinpoint in placing the car’s wheels and tires when encountering an equally wide vehicle going in the opposite direction. Thankfully, the electric steering, air suspension, and the all-wheel drive system of the Continental GT delivered exactly the right blend of precision and response while still avoiding the typically extra-firm ride of most supercars. It’s a testament to superlative engineering when a 2.5-ton luxurious leviathan handles like a nimble sports car.
The Continental GT’s unparalleled ride quality are courtesy of the Bentley Performance Active Chassis, including active all-wheel drive, all-wheel steering, Bentley Dynamic Ride, and new ESC software. Dual-valve dampers and dual-chamber air springs provide more precise tuning.
Of course, what makes all this performance extra special is the fact that you’re enjoying it within the confines of one of the most luxurious and opulent cabins in automobiledom. The 2+2 cabin receives a new quilt pattern inspired by fashion design, with sculpted surfaces, fading perforations, and unique embroidery. While most cars nowadays focus on using plush materials only on touch points, Bentley swathes the whole interior in the most luxurious materials—the finest leather, the plushest carpeting, the most elegant woodgrain, the richest trim, and truly jewel-like buttons and switches.
On the center of the dashboard is a 12.3-inch touchscreen, from which you can control a staggering amount of features that the car offers. Although our test car wasn’t fitted with it, there is also the Bentley Rotating Display that allows you to switch between the 12.3-inch touchscreen, three analog dials, and a matching veneer panel with a touch of a button. Our test car was equipped with a stunning 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system (there is an optional Naim audio system with even more speakers).
While the interior colors can be bespoke, I’m sure many owners will gravitate towards my test car’s orange-and-chocolate brown leather that covers the seats, door panels and steering wheel. Sitting inside makes you feel like you’re luxuriating in an Hermes suite.
Needless to say, the masses will be transfixed by the new Continental GT’s design, the most significant update to the Continental GT model line in two decades. It features Bentley’s new design DNA while also retaining core design elements from the Bentley’s iconic 1953 R Type Continental.
The new Continental GT has a long, flowing hood, strong rear haunches, and a sleek fastback coupe profile echoing the proportions of the R Type Continental. Its front end is upright, marked by a single main headlamp on each side — a design touch not seen on a Bentley since the S2 model from 1959.
At the rear, the Continental GT’s incorporates aerodynamic elements into the trunk lid, eliminating the need for a spoiler that would otherwise mar the car’s graceful silhouette. A more dramatically styled bumper is matched by much wider taillights featuring a three-dimensional diamond pattern.
All this reaffirms the globally award-winning new Continental GT as a true benchmark in the rarefied ultra-luxury class. Alongside the Bentayga Hybrid and Flying Spur Hybrid, the new Continental GT completes Bentley’s electrified range in the count
