Signifying the “next step” in the Continental GT’s history, which spans more than two decades, Bentley will soon whip the wraps off the fourth-generation variant. Scheduled to be unveiled in June 2024, the upcoming Continental GT will be the first product from the British luxury brand built around the firm’s new ‘Ultra Performance Hybrid’ powertrain.
According to the Crew-based company, thanks to the petrol-electric set-up, the Continental GT will not only be the most powerful and most dynamic series-production Bentley road car, but, thanks to the introduction of the emissions-free electrical system that’s been incorporated into its internal combustion engine, also the most sustainable model ever created by the British brand in its 105-year history. The “exceptional” craftsmanship synonymous with the firm’s offerings will, of course, remain.
Not much is yet known about the new iteration (seen here dressed in camouflage wrapping). However, the firm has revealed the power and torque outputs with which the ‘Ultra Performance Hybrid’ will be endowed with. In short, the new Continental GT will churn out a whopping 575 kW and 1 000 N.m of torque.
As a reminder, the current-generation Continental is available with the choice of two engine options, a 4.0-litre turbocharged V8, which produces 404 kW and 770 N.m of torque, and a 6.0-litre turbocharged W12, which is available in two states of tune (467 kW in the standard derivative and 485 kW in the Speed model, with both churning out 900 N.m).
So, bar the power and torque figures of the new Continental GT, what else is known about the new powertrain? Well, according to Bentley, this model will be able to travel 80 km on electric power alone, while the CO2 emissions it will produce will be “under” 50 g/km. That’s immense, especially considering the aforementioned models’ V8 and W12 engines produce 263 g/km and 319 g/km, respectively.
In addition, the firm’s grand tourer will be equipped with new chassis technology, including active all-wheel drive with torque vectoring, four-wheel steering, an electronic limited slip differential, 48 V electric active anti-roll control, and advanced dual-valve dampers.