Bentley Continental GT review

Give it the beans around a tight corner in the old Conti GT and you’d be in danger of understeering into the undergrowth. Not in the new one. It’s not just the improved weight balance that’s taken some strain off the front end, it’s that the rear end – now equipped with its own steering mechanism – is much more helpful. The car seems to pivot underneath you rather than the tail just following along behind.

But it must still feel heavy?

Yes it does, but those are secondary sensations. In terms of the operation of the car, it’s light in your hands and more sensitive too. The steering is much improved, accurate and confidence-inspiring if not the last word in detail, the throttle calibration is bang on (not easy in a hybrid where it’s juggling two power sources) and even the brakes – usually Bentley’s weakness – have got more bite and power.

At least the carbon-ceramic discs of the GT have. The GTC's steel brakes have a softer take-up at the top of the travel which makes chauffeur-smooth stop easier, but only if you're expecting it. Still, you can option the carbon discs in the soft-top.
Also, in both GT and GTC, an automatic regeneration system actually pulls down the brake pedal when the car knows a junction or obstacle is ahead. So the pedal isn't always where your foot expects to find it.

On the whole the Bentley moves far more easily than it has any right to, feels athletic rather than lumbering. You spot the weight when you’re on it, braking hard and trying to turn into a hairpin, but the car’s improved balance means you’re not having to drive around issues. In sport mode you feel the power being decisively sent rearward on the exit to a corner.

Even if the GTC is less precise than the GT, it's still way better than the old W12 GTC. Both the new GT and new GTC have grip and power to spare. They're at a level of capability where you really don’t need or want to be travelling any faster. They're sumptuously satisfying.

Bet you miss the W12, don’t you?

Very occasionally you want to hear that deeper rumbling voice and experience the old 6.0’s turbine smoothness, because it was a cultured, sophisticated thing and suited a cruising Conti down to the ground. But the truism was that the V8 was always more charismatic, efficient and almost as hard hitting as the W12. It had a crisper soundtrack and better throttle response. And that was the old one.

This V8 still thunders and cackles properly (no artificial noise is pumped in, it’s all authentic), but it’s the sheer torque and smoothness of its delivery that’s outstanding. 187bhp of electric thrust may not sound much when afflicted by 2,459kg, but you can feel its effects in an instant surge before the V8 gets its shoulder behind things. You will not need to use high revs. This powertrain is gentle at low revs for town and cruising work, but a thunderous mid-range performer.

And it works better with the twin clutch gearbox than the W12 ever did. That occasionally threw in a jolted shift, but now the shifts are effortlessly slick. And so good is the software’s judgement that it works best when left to its own devices. Unless you want to use the paddles to feel more involved and use different parts of the rev range just for the crack.

In sport mode it's much keener to drop down a gear or two than in the softer modes, and also the engine stays on. In the other modes, it's often not running at all as the e-motor does the work. But you find out only if you look down at the rev counter because it's so smooth in cutting in and out.

Can you drive it on electric alone?

Of course you can, and it moves more swiftly and easily than you expect. It’s ideal for urban situations and operated via a mode button on the centre console. Bentley says 50 miles of range and actually, if you save it for low speed excursions in warm weather, you will get close to that. Just switch the ICE back on for motorways.

And of course you can use the V8 to recharge the battery. It works quickly and effectively, but you don’t need us to tell you that using petrol to generate electricity isn’t exactly the most efficient use of resources. Incidentally, we will see Bentley’s first fully electric car in late 2026, but plans to go all electric have been pushed back to the mid-2030s.

Has it lost its cruising ability?

Not a single bit. It remains a wonderfully quiet cockpit of calm carried along on sumptuous springs. Twist the rotary controller from Sport, through Bentley to Comfort and you immediately notice the tension dissipate. Now the Conti GT floats along, sighing in time with the road, rising and falling gently. Don’t drive it post-lunch, it’ll put you to sleep.

The GTC doesn't ruffle your feathers. Turbulence is barely noticeable in the cockpit with the roof down, indeed even with the windows down as well. In winter, enjoy the powerful seat heaters, and there are hot-air blowers to warm your neck. Those seats are vented for hot climes, and massaging too of course. Roof up it's pretty much as quiet as the GT thanks to a four-layer hood.

Is it fun to drive?

Depends how you evaluate enjoyment. It’s not thrilling, but it is enormously satisfying and enjoyable. And now you don’t have to make any allowances for it – the new Conti GT can be hustled around effectively and, with both comfort and sport sides of its performance envelope expanded, is more capable than it’s ever been.

The GTC doesn't quite have those two sides. With everything dialled up, it's capable and grippy but doesn't really encourage you to behave like that. It wants you to ease off. Driven more restfully the open-air dimension is a hugely valuable extra. Choosing your level of vigour for driving the GTC is like arriving at an extravagant buffet. You could stuff your face, but better to take less greedy portions and enjoy the company of your companions.