Testing out the all-new Bentley Continental GT Speed on Switzerland’s Alpine roads

When it comes to luxury cars, plug-in hybrid power will be the way forward – literally and metaphorically, says Simon de Burton. 

Hybrid power has been around in the boat industry for more than a century: sailing yachts use the wind when it’s available and an auxiliary engine or two when it’s not, when precise manoeuvres are called for – or, of course, when the skipper hasn’t time to hoist the canvas.

But in the luxury car world, plug-in hybrids – which combine combustion engines with electric motors powered by externally rechargeable batteries – have had a decidedly lukewarm reception. The main problem is that most offer such limited battery-only range that the complication of adding the electric power train seems hard to justify, especially as its extra weight impacts fuel economy and handling and blunts the performance of the combustion engine.

But having spent eight hours behind the wheel of the all-new Bentley Continental GT Speed on Switzerland’s twistiest Alpine roads, I’m going to make a prediction: when it comes to luxury cars, plug-in hybrid power will be the way forward – literally and metaphorically.

As a shameless lover of anything with an internal combustion engine – from lawnmowers to superyachts – I was prepared to be cynical about the fourth generation of Bentley’s benchmark grand tourer as soon as it was revealed as a plug-in hybrid.

But the esteemed marque’s engineers have worked from the ground up to produce a fully integrated design that, in my opinion, is nothing short of spectacular – not only in power and performance, but in the way its electric propulsion system has been made relevant

Yes, it has added weight – the car tips the scales at a hefty 2,459 kilograms, which is 300 kilos more than the outgoing, petrol-only V8 – but, by putting the hefty battery pack at the rear, this becomes the first Continental GT to offer near-perfect, 50:50 weight distribution. So, helped by various other new mod cons such as twin-valve damping, it handled those Alpine roads with complete aplomb.

The hybrid system also justifies its existence in the way the instant torque of the electric motor, cleverly packaged within the gearbox, eliminates turbo lag while providing an acceleration boost that leaves passengers exhilarated.

And, while it’s a plug-in hybrid – that is, you can top-up the batteries from an external charger – the engine will regenerate the cells while driving in less than three hours. So, in theory, you may never have to plug in at all.

Perhaps the best thing about the system, however, is that it offers an electric-only mode in which the petrol engine shuts down completely. This makes for a simpler set-up than the inelegant “cylinder de-activation” that was previously used to cut emissions and fuel consumption. Such a large and heavy hybrid car would typically have a range of little more than 32 kilometres on electric only.

But this new Continental offers a genuinely useful 80, which is more than sufficient for cruising into town and back in luxurious silence – although the four-litre engine’s (genuine, not synthesised) V8 exhaust roar is always on tap when you need reminding that this is the quickest, most powerful Bentley ever built.

The best of both worlds? I really think it could be. bentleymotors.com. 

Specs: 2025 Bentley Continental GT
Engine: four-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol engine with transmission-mounted electric motor powered by 25.9kW battery pack
Power: 585hp from petrol engine, plus 187hp from the electric motor
Torque: 1,000Nm
Weight: 2,459kg
Transmission: eight-speed dual clutch, electronic limited slip differential, four-wheel drive
0 to 100km/h: 3.2 seconds
Top speed: 335km/h
Fuel economy: (combined) 10.3 litres per 100km
Price: £236,600

First published in the December 2024 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.