Bentley’s Revolutionary Shift: The 2024 Continental GT Speed Ditches W12 for a Mighty 782 PS Plug-in Hybrid Powertrain

The 2024 Bentley Continental GT/GTC will be released with a Plug-in Hybrid option

The 782 horsepower powertrain is derived from the Porsche Panamera and Cayenne models

Bentley introduces the revamped versions of the Continental GT Speed and its convertible counterpart, the GTC. The era of the W12 engine has ended, and a Biturbo V8 plug-in hybrid takes its place. This is quite the shift from the launch of the first modern "Conti GT" in 2002.

Bentley has cleverly evolved the design of the Continental GT and GTC, giving them a slightly lower and tighter appearance than before. Let's look at the key measurements: they are 4.89 meters in length, 1.97 meters in width, just under 1.40 meters in height, with a wheelbase measuring 2.85 meters. They have an unladen weight of 2.5 tons and are equipped with 22-inch wheels. The GT model features a boot capacity of 260 liters. Fuel tank capacity stands at 80 liters.

Photo Gallery: 2024 Bentley Continental GTC Speed

The new GT Speed's plug-in hybrid configuration features a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine delivering 600 horsepower and 800 Nm of peak torque, complemented by an electric motor that adds 190 horsepower and 450 Nm. Bentley announces the total system output as 782 horsepower and 1,000 Nm of torque. Does this sound familiar? Indeed, it bears resemblance to the powertrains found in the Porsche Panamera or Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid.

The battery holds a charge of 25.9 kWh and can be fully charged in 2 hours and 45 minutes when using a fast charger. At home, the charging time can extend up to 8 hours and 30 minutes. For Bentley's future, the critical factor is not the 80 km electric-only range, but the carbon dioxide emissions level, which is below 50 g/km as per the WLTP standards. In contrast, the previous Continental Speed model with a W12 engine emitted a hefty 311 grams.

The 2024 model of the Bentley Continental GT Speed

The latest Conti GT Speed is poised to become Bentley's most powerful production car in its 105-year legacy. Its launch also signifies a critical juncture in Bentley's Beyond100 initiative, which aims to transform the brand into a pioneer of sustainable luxury mobility by incorporating plug-in hybrid technology across all its model lines.

The latest advancements in chassis technology include an active all-wheel drive with torque vectoring, four-wheel steering, an electronic limited-slip differential, an active 48-volt anti-roll stabilization, and innovative dual-valve shock absorbers, which, according to the manufacturer, combine to create "the most dynamic Bentley ever."

Further from Bentley:

To showcase its performance capabilities, Bentley is set to announce on June 25th that their latest model, the Continental GT Speed, has recently set an unofficial underwater speed record. The car achieved a top speed of 208 mph (335 km/h) in the world's longest and deepest subsea road tunnel, Norway's Ryfylke Tunnel. A video documenting this high-speed tunnel drive will be featured at the product launch.

There is still no concrete information regarding the prices. Up to now, in Germany, the GT V8 was priced at 231,900 euros, while the W12 Speed was at 291,300 euros. The convertible versions are listed at almost 30,000 euros more.

Photo Gallery: 2024 Bentley Continental GTC Speed

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