Bentley will release a new Continental GT next month but will not use the gas-only 8- or 12-cylinder engines seen in previous models. The fourth-generation vehicle will have Bentley’s new Ultra Hybrid Performance powertrain, a plug-in hybrid system that combines a V8 engine with an electric motor to produce significant power.
The automaker claims that the electrified powertrain will produce 771 horsepower and around 738 pound-feet of torque, making the new GT “the most powerful and dynamically capable Bentley road car in the company’s 105-year history.” For perspective, the current GT’s W12 engine generates 650 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque, propelling the vehicle to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. The latest V8 produces 542 hp and 568 lb-ft of torque.
Bentley did not provide acceleration figures for the new model, but it should be substantially faster, with more than 100 horsepower and 70 pound-feet more torque than the W12. Bentley also says that the Continental GT will have a 50-mile electric range and CO2 emissions of less than 50 grams per kilometer.
Torque vectoring and an electronic limited-slip differential will continue to send power to all four wheels. Bentley will include other trick features like four-wheel steering and 48-volt electrical active anti-roll control.
Prices will rise slightly, starting around $250,000 and reaching the mid- $ 300,000 area at the top.
