When it was first introduced in 2003, the Bentley Continental GT represented a turning point for the British marque. It was the first Bentley released following the 1998 acquisition by Volkswagen, and the first built with mass production methods. It helped herald a new era for the producer, one defined by modern techniques, cutting-edge technology and unquestionable luxury. The Continental GT would carry Bentley forward into the 21st century.
Two decades later, the fourth generation of this iconic model, the 2025 Continental GT Speed, rolled onto my driveway. With the neighbor’s drapes twitching, I headed outside. I had five days to discover what the new Bentley Continental GT Speed was all about.
Looking at raw sales, today, the Continental has been eclipsed by the Bentayga — undoubtedly thanks to the unstoppable rise of the luxury SUV, of which the Bentayga is one of the finest examples — yet the Continental GT still defines the spirit of Bentley.
So, what exactly is a Bentley Continental GT? As a grand tourer, the Continental is built for longer journeys; it’s exceptionally comfortable and has space for four with luggage, although the room is a little tight in the back. It’s perfect for driver and passenger, but if you’re looking to fill the back seats, it’s better to stick to short trips.
Given it’s designed to cross continents, the Continental can sit happily in the fast lane of the highway and chew up distance. It’s what it was born to do. If you happened to find yourself on the German autobahn, where there is no speed limit, it would happily sit at 140 mph for extended periods without flinching.
While the 2003 Continental brought Bentley into the modern era of motoring, the fourth-generation 2025 Continental reveals what can change in a quarter of a century. Gone is the beloved but perhaps a little old-fashioned W12 engine, replaced by an ultra-performance hybrid V8 powertrain that generates considerably more horsepower and torque than the W12.
It’s not all about the extra power, though; the new Continental also benefits from all the useful extras a hybrid powertrain brings, from full EV mode to increased efficiency and fuel economy at lower speeds.
The new iteration is also brimming with technology like intelligent driver assists, night vision, air purifiers and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, creating the smoothest software experience possible.
The 2025 Bentley Continental should reassert its position as one of the most sought-after grand tourers on the market. The first iteration to hit the road, and the one I tested, was the performance-focused Continental GT Speed.
Performance
At the heart of the 2025 Continental GT Speed lies the ultra-performance hybrid powertrain, which is comprised of an all-new turbocharged 4-liter V8 engine and an electric motor. This new powertrain is capable of delivering 11% more torque than the previous GT Speed and almost 20% more total power. So even though the beloved W12 is no more, the new Continental GT Speed arrives with a powertrain built for the future.
Looking at the figures on paper, the 2025 Continental GT Speed is capable of producing 771 bp and 1,000 Nm of torque, making it the most powerful Bentley ever. All this power is reflected in reality, too; the car can from 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds, despite weighing over 2.5 tons.
It’s not just the 2025 Continental GT Speed's 0-60 mph time that’s impressive. The car breezes past 60mph and the acceleration barely slows down as it continues to 100mph in 6.6 seconds before reaching an ultimate top speed of 208 mph. The introduction of the electric motor gives the car rapid acceleration in the lower and mid ranges and allows the engine to be tuned for maximum performance at higher revs and speeds.
All this means that despite weighing over 2.5 tons and losing the beloved W12 engine, the new 2025 Continental GT Speed is exceptionally fun to drive. It’s extremely responsive, with effectively no lag when you put your foot down and boasts an acceleration that seems almost impossible.
Interiors
At its core, Bentley vehicles should mix power and sporty characteristics with a luxurious, highly appointed interior that you want to spend extended periods of time in. The 2025 Continental GT Speed hits the mark in both regards.
Inside, the car is defined by a precision quilt pattern that adorns both the seats and doors. Seated in the front, the driver and passenger are cocooned in luxury. The seats are adjustable in 20 different ways, while this model features an optional wellness setting with both postural adjustment and auto climate in the two front seats.
The attention to detail here is truly impressive; it’s possible to completely control the car’s climate using the digital screen, yet the organ pulls remain, harking back to Bentleys of the 20th century.
A press of the screen button flips over the digital display and reveals a set of analog dials, which makes it feel like you’re sitting in a James Bond car. This is a gimmick: Day to day, owners of the Bentley Continental GT Speed will seldom hit that button. But every time I showed it to someone, it always elicited the biggest reaction. It shows the British marque isn’t afraid of doing things for the sake of it.
First Edition
Celebrating the release, an exclusive First Edition variant is available in limited numbers.
Speed
It can travel from 0-60 mph in only 3.1 seconds and tops out at an impressive 208 mph.
Night Vision
Driver assistance like night vision makes driving in the dark safer than ever.
Comfort
Seats can be adjusted in over 20 directions and feature heating, ventilation and massage.
Technology
Working in tandem with the sumptuous interior are the latest technological innovations that make the Bentley Continental GT Speed’s infotainment and driver assistant technology some of the most advanced in the luxury market.
Focusing on driver assistance, drive modes can be tuned to give a customized level of assistance, from basic cruise control to full lane assistance. Once accustomed to the controls, you can effectively set the car up to follow the vehicle in front. On several occasions, I was stuck in traffic, at the press of a button, the car matched the speed of the vehicle in front, coming to a stop and pulling away again without a single input.
The car is also completely covered in cameras that have a whole host of different uses. The vehicle can place itself in an accurate 3D model of its surroundings, making parking a breeze, or you could just let the intelligent park assist do its magic. Night vision adds an extra dimension of safety when driving at night, highlighting potential hazards like animals on the road.
The car also comes equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which integrate seamlessly into the ecosystem. You can quickly change between CarPlay, perfect for navigation and music control and Bentley’s software, where you can change vehicle settings like climate and driver assists.
The 2025 Continental GT Speed, while being a superb rendition of a grand tourer, is also a car that’s well-suited for daily life. The trunk is large enough for a set of golf clubs, some shopping or a reasonable amount of luggage as long as you’re not an over-packer.
The new hybrid engine is a true delight, in combination with the transmission, it behaves almost like a mind reader. At lower speeds, the ride is impressively gentle, the suspension handles speed bumps with ease, and anything too large and the car can raise up at the press of a button. The throttle is also tremendously intuitive, fairly soft, and relaxed at lower speeds, making for a pleasant driving experience, but when given a little extra gas, it’s always ready to go.
In the center console, the driver can select the vehicle’s drive mode at a rotating dial, choosing between Bentley mode, comfort, sport, and custom. This effectively changes the feel of the car, with comfort offering a smooth and relaxed ride, sport tightens things up with a faster throttle response, firmer suspension, and higher revs, while Bentley mode presents a balance between the two.
The dial also acts as a quick way to initiate the electric motor in Bentley mode at lower speeds, or perhaps change it into sport to go full petrol if you’re trying to wake up the neighbors.
Fourth-generation Bentley Continental GT Speed from $302,100; bentleymotors.com
