Bentley's New Continental GT Speed Is Excessive In All The Best Ways
Introduced in 2003, the Bentley Continental GT lineup of grand touring cars has remained an important part of the Volkswagen-owned luxury carmaker for over two decades. The lineup received a significant update in 2007 when the company came up with the first-generation Bentley Continental GT Speed — a spruced-up variant of the standard Continental GT with increased engine power and torque figures.
Since its first appearance in 2007, Bentley has continuously updated the GT Speed lineup, with newer, updated models being launched at regular intervals. The first generation GT Speed models were sold between 2007–2010, while the production run of the second generation models ran between 2012 and 2018. Bentley's last major refresh for the Continental GT Speed lineup came in 2021, with the introduction of the 3rd generation GT Speed models.
Three years on, Bentley has announced the fourth generation Continental GT Speed. The newest version of the car — being a generational update — comes with a plethora of changes, both inside and outside of the vehicle. While Bentley has retained the familiar silhouette of the car, the new car features several "bold" design elements, the most noticeable of which is the completely redesigned headlamp design.
While the changes to the design could be best described as incremental, the same cannot be said about the internals of the 2025 Bentley Continental GT Speed. The updated car features a completely new engine, gets a hybrid powertrain for the first time, and gets an all-new electrical architecture. The new powertrain option also makes the car the most powerful road-going Bentley ever.
Bold design changes, more luxurious than ever
While the 2025 Continental GT Speed, Bentley has gone with what the company describes as a "cleaner" design language. While the car is immediately recognizable as a Continental GT model, a closer look would reveal that the overall design is a lot more free-flowing, with minimal breaks in the surface.
Another major change — which may prove to be a controversial choice — is Bentley's decision to scrap the classic twin headlamp design. This change is quite significant considering that this car marks the first time since 1959 that a mainstream Bentley would come with a single headlamp. Another notable design element is the all-new horizontal "eyebrow" cut that extends from the headlamp onto the sides of the vehicle.
The 2025 Bentley Continental GT Speed has also been completely redesigned from the rear, with the vehicle getting new taillights, boot lids, and even newer exhaust pipes. The car also has 22-inch wheels that are offered in dark tint with polished accents.
Like other Bentley cars, the Continental GT Speed also offers a virtually endless list of customization options. Nevertheless, some of the important interior elements include a new quilt embroidery, sculpted quilting, and fading perforations. The seats come with postural adjust options as well.
The company also offers the audio systems as options, beginning with a 10-speaker, 650-watt standard option. The other two options include a 1,500W, 16-speaker system from Bang & Olufsen. There is also a top-end 2,200-watt, 18-speaker system from Naim. Also finding pride of place on the dashboard is the Bentley Rotating Display, which features a 12.3-inch panel.
The most powerful Bentley ever is a hybrid
The Bentley Continental GT Speed has also been famous for being among the most powerful offerings from Bentley's lineup — a distinction that was only made possible by the famous 6-liter W12 engine that developed 650 hp of power and up to 664 lb-ft of torque. Bentley has decided to change this key element from the latest generation of the Continental GT Speed. The refreshed car now gets a brand new 4-liter hybrid V8 powertrain. Powering the electric motor is a 25.9 kWh battery. The 2025 Bentley Continental GT Speed gets an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission featuring an electronically limited slip differential on all four wheels.
The V4 on the Continental GT Speed produces 600 PS (584 bhp) of power, in addition to a 190 PS (187 bhp) boost from the onboard electric motor. The combined peak system output comes to 782 PS (771 bhp). The torque figures have gone up by 11% over the outgoing model, going up from 900 Nm to 1000 Nm (738 lb. ft). These figures make the car capable of doing a 0 -60 mph sprint in just 3.1 seconds, and hitting a top speed of 208 mph (335 km/h).
Despite being the most powerful offering from Bentley, the 2025 Continental GT Speed — thanks to its hybrid powertrain — claims a significant drop in CO2 emission numbers while also being more fuel efficient than ever before.
Like previous generation models, the latest Bentley Continental GT Speed will be handmade at the company's factory in Crewe, England. The company has yet to reveal the availability and pricing details of the car.