Bentley Continental GT Speed units new prime pace document underwater

Bentley has unveiled its new Continental GT Speed, which has set a new record by achieving its electrified 208mph top speed ‘underwater’ – driving through the longest and deepest sub-sea road tunnel in the world.

Hailed as ‘the most powerful Bentley ever’, the fourth generation British-built grand tourer is also one of the greenest Bentleys to hit the road.

The petrol-electric plug-in hybrid Continental GT Speed coupe costing from £236,600 and its £259,500 convertible GTC Speed sibling have just been launched simultaneously – and for the first time in the Continental model’s history – with order books open now ahead of first deliveries in autumn.

Riding on 22-inch wheels, both restyled two-door four-seat variants are described as ‘ultra performance hybrids’ matching a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine to a powerful electric motor which also gives it up to 50 miles of emissions-free electric-only motoring.

Highlighting a 19 per cent increase in power on the outgoing model, Bentley said: ‘This makes the new Continental GT Speed the most powerful Bentley ever.’

To make a splash, Bentley set out to establish a new speed record ‘not formally attempted before’ at the Ryfylke Tunnel in Norway’s Rogaland county – at 8.9 miles long the world’s longest sub-sea tunnel and also the deepest of any kind in the world descending to 292 metres below sea level.

Running on second-generation biofuel and charged with electricity from a renewable source, the new Continental GT Speed accelerated from a standstill to its 208mph top speed in 33 seconds. 

Bentley noted that the record attempt was carried out with the help of both the Norwegian highways authority and police, adding: ‘Several runs were completed for filming, in doing so establishing a new unofficial speed record for a car in a tunnel.’

It added that ahead of the attempt: ‘Rounds of engineering analysis and simulation evaluated the airflow around the car at high speed in an enclosed tube to ensure safety.’

What’s new for the 2024 Bentley Continental? 

The two new Continental grand tourers are powered by a powerful 782hp plug-in hybrid set-up combining a 600hp twin turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine with a 190hp (140kW) electric motor (the difference in total power being down to a small degree of ‘leakage’) with a 25.9kW battery mounted behind the rear axle.

That combination powers the Continental GT Speed coupe from 0 to 62mph in 3.2 seconds, to 100mph in 6.9 seconds, up to its top speed of 208mph. 

Power is delivered through an eight-speed dual clutch automatic transmission (with manual paddle override) to all four wheels.

The Continental GTC convertible version is only a fraction of a second behind those times, accelerating from rest to 62mph in 3.4 seconds and to 100mph in 7.2 seconds. Its top speed of 177mph is some 31mph slower.

However, with the advantage of wind-in-the-hair motoring, the convertible’s seven-bow fabric roof system – available in seven exterior colours including tweed – can be deployed in 19 seconds and at speeds of up to 30mph.

Bentley notes: ‘A completely new 400-volt electrical architecture enables the most advanced suite of powertrain technology to be offered by a luxury automotive brand today’.

The new plug-in hybrids replace the outgoing GT Speeds with their mammoth 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 petrol engine.

Although it uses greener technology, the new plug-in hybrid Continental GT Speed coupe averages only 27.4mph – though this is still an improvement – and CO2 emissions are down to 29g/km.

That said, full electric mode can be used at speeds of up to 87mph, and with 75 per cent throttle.

The battery can be fully charged in under three hours (2 and ¾ hours) using a fast charger, or around eight and a half hours using a domestic home charger.

Its total, range of 534 miles is enough to get comfortably and in style from London to the golf at St Andrews in Scotland, or just short of Aberdeen – though 50 miles of that trip could be in silent, zero-emissions electric-only mode. 

But the petrol power means no range-anxiety worries about finding a charging-point en route.

The cabriolet GTC Speed is only fractionally behind with an electric-only range of 48 miles, average fuel consumption of 26.6mpg and CO2 emissions of 31g/km, and a range of 521 miles.

Bentley says: ‘The system manages the energy flow dependent upon the mode chosen – EV, electric boost. Regenerative braking – and most importantly for this new GT Speed, a Charge mode where the engine drives the wheels and charges the battery at the same time.’

Inside, the four-seat interior offers the option of ‘wellness seat technology’ and new air ionisation for a more relaxed and refreshing drive, 3D leather, new quilting and a dark chrome finish. High levels of personalised options – including from its bespoke arm Mulliner – means ‘ a virtually limitless number of possible configurations’, it says.

The new models continue to have the innovative 12.3-inch Bentley three-sided rotating display.

Mood lighting has a choice of 30 colours.

The new Continental GTs continue to be built at what Bentley now dubs its ‘Dream Factory’ in Crewe. The car-maker, which is now part of Germany’s giant Volkswagen Group, said 68 per cent of components were new compared to the outgoing model.