Bentley Continental GT Speed Review: Glorious Progress

What we like:

Fabulous to drive

Revised steering and damping elevates the experience

Refinement is up a notch too

What we dislike:

PHEV drivetrain doesn't feel particularly quick or advanced

The Continental GT has been refreshed, and this time it sports sharper looks, especially up front. It’s the first time since the 1950s that a ‘mainstream’ Bentley has been fitted with single headlamps with horizontal eyebrows and, blimey, they are really gorgeous. The rest of the car is largely unchanged, which is no bad thing as the car still has a sleek and aerodynamic shape that hasn’t gone out of fashion.

The car we’re driving here is the First Edition, which adds some cosmetic touches like badging on the flanks and a ‘floating’ B logo on the wheels; but it’s all pretty subtle. On the inside, the First Edition touches include the 2,200 W 18-speaker Naim audio sound system and the central rotating display. Both are very desirable options for the Continental GT, which makes the First Edition well worth considering.

That aside, the interior now feels tastefully updated as well, with a snappier infotainment system and unique seat wellness features that will adjust itself according to your body profile, as well as cool or heat you automatically depending on which part of your body feels uncomfortable. I certainly haven’t seen these features elsewhere before.

However, the bigger change is unseen and that’s under the hood. The W12 has been discontinued, and replaced by a V8 twin-turbo plug-in hybrid (PHEV) drivetrain. It’s the only drivetrain you can get for the model now, whether you opt for the standard car or the Speed as tested here. Although we are sad that the W12 is gone, the PHEV V8 actually suits Singapore roads much better, while attracting less road tax too.

Generating a combined 782 PS and 1,000 Nm, the Continental GT Speed goes from 0-100 km/h in just 3.2 seconds; it’s the most powerful road-going Bentley ever made. These are numbers that easily overshadow that of the outgoing W12 Speed, but that is to be expected because of the electrical assistance from the 190 PS / 450 Nm electric motor.

But if I were to be honest, the Speed didn’t feel all that quick despite the figures on paper. Tipping the scales at about 2.5 tons, the added PHEV hardware generates more power, but also adds weight. Then again, you do get around 81 km range of EV driving which is pretty useful for running about without ever turning on the V8. In practice, you can expect an EV range of something closer to 60 km; still decent for a run to the country club and back, plus a meal in between. Combined range is close to 900 km, great for those runs across Malaysia.

The PHEV system itself is a bit more old-school in that it primarily still relies on the V8 engine to do most of the work. Even in EV mode, the car won’t hesitate to wake the V8 if you need more urgent progress. Beyond a certain level of throttle input (I’d say 60%), the rumble of the V8 will kick in. Oh, there’s quite a bit of lag in the transition between EV and ICE too - it is not as seamless as I had hoped.

Despite the shortcomings of the PHEV drivetrain, the Continental GT Speed still manages to be a sweeter drive than the car it replaces. Could it be the magic touch of Frank-Steffen Walliser, a major Porsche figure who is now the head honcho at Bentley?

The Speed - with its updated dual valve damper system with dual chamber air springs - rides with more sophistication now. Its weight distribution has become rear-biased ever so slightly at 49:51, a first for the Continental GT; this was achieved by the clever placement of the 25.9 kWh battery behind the rear axle, an unexpected upside of the PHEV drivetrain. T

hen there’s the myriad of tech already present that is pure wizardry: 48v active anti-roll control, an eLSD, torque vectoring and all-wheel steering. They all work together seamlessly without you ever knowing, and you can really feel it on the road. The Speed is now more interactive and involving, yet it always feels secure with its all-wheel drive, all-weather capabilities. It feels smaller and lighter than it really is, while the steering feel is meaty. You’re able to work the rear if you try hard enough, but the Speed is focused broadly on going very quickly and securely.

Another very enthusiast-focused move is the intentional refusal to employ electronic or artificial sound enhancement to the V8’s exhaust note. As a result, it feels genuine and authentic - a super important trait for a discerning buyer.

There’s no denying that the capabilities of the Speed are deeply impressive. It’s a genuinely good car to enjoy a twisty road in, which is saying something when the car weighs this much. If you want something more playful, the Aston Martin DB12 is that bit spicier, but the Bentley is the one you’d count on despite the weather. Its EV capabilities also make it far more versatile for different needs.

The Speed, however, is great in spite of its PHEV drivetrain, rather than because of it. I’m positive Bentley will keep improving it with time, which will only make the Speed more and more desirable.

Photos by Sean Seah

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