Bentley Continental GT And Flying Spur Gain ‘Base’ PHEV Models With 671 HP And 50 Miles Of EV Range

Now is a great time to be an ultra-rich car enthusiast. When money is no object, it’s clear to see that we are at the pinnacle of the internal combustion engine, whether it is the sole source of energy or whether it’s assisted by a bit of electricity. Even the most change-resistant car ever, the Porsche 911, is available with a 532-horsepower hybrid powertrain if you can afford its $172,000 starting price. Last year Bentley, Britain’s second-snootiest automaker, introduced some big-buck hybrids to its current car portfolio with the mental Flying Spur Speed and Continental GT Speed models, which replaced the old W12 with a plug-in-hybrid V8 powertrain. Now Bentley has revealed that a detuned plug-in hybrid will take the place of the old nonhybrid V8 models in the lineup, but don’t worry — it’s still powerful as hell.

Bentley calls this new setup the High Performance Hybrid, in contrast to the Ultra Performance Hybrid used in the Speed (and Mulliner) versions of the Continental and Flying Spur. This “base” powertrain employs a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8, the same Porsche-derived unit the company has used for years, paired with a single electric motor to produce 671 horsepower and 685 pound-feet of torque. While that’s down from the massive 771 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of the Speeds, it’s an increase of 129 hp and 117 lb-ft over the outgoing entry-level V8 models.

Introducing the plug-in-hybrid V8 setup as the base powertrain also means that the cheapest car Bentley now makes is more powerful than the outgoing W12 Speed models, with 21 more horsepower and 21 more lb-ft than those cars. They’re also just as quick as the old ICE-only range-toppers, and a lot quicker than the models they replace. The new base Continental GT needs just 3.5 seconds to sprint from 0 to 60 mph, the same as the old W12 Speed and half a second quicker than the old V8, while the droptop GTC and the four-door Flying Spur take slightly longer at a still un-base-model-like 3.8 seconds, which compare similarly to their predecessors. In the 0-to-60 sprint the new models are just four tenths behind the PHEV Continental GT Speed and five tenths behind the PHEV Flying Spur Speed, too.

The main difference between the base High Performance Hybrid and the Speed models’ Ultra Performance Hybrid setup lies within the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8, since both models share a battery capacity of 25.9 kWh and the 187-hp electric motor sitting inside the 8-speed transmission. The internal combustion engine in the High Performance Hybrid produces 512 horsepower, so there’s never a shortage of power, but the Speeds’ V8 makes 592 hp on its own. Bentley says the Continental GT coupe is capable of an EV-only range of 53 miles, the Continental GTC convertible can go 51 miles on electricity alone, and the Flying Spur manages an even 50 miles, all of which align with the higher-performance version of the powertrain. You also don’t lose any sportiness by going for one of the entry-level PHEVs, as they get the same Dynamic Ride active anti-roll bar suspension system, rear-wheel steering and electronic limited-slip differential that the Speed has.

You get the High Performance Hybrid powertrain on the standard cars and the glitzy Azure trim levels of all three models, while the Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain is standard on lavish Mulliner and sporty Speed trims. The base cars have a look of tasteful restraint, with gloss black grilles and no shouty brightwork. Azure models, in contrast, include Azure badging, different wheel designs, and bright chrome vanes vertically spanning across a gloss black grille with a chrome surround. Bentley says the Azures “promote wellbeing” by coming standard with driving assistance features, mood lighting, “Harmony quilting” on the doors and seats, and the Bentley Wellness seating, which means heated, cooled, and massaging seats for all four outboard passengers.

Prices haven’t been announced just yet, but don’t expect these new base trim levels to be anywhere near affordable for the average person. Expect the starting prices to be similar to the outgoing models, which would mean around $250,000 for the Continental GT, $270,000 or so for the GTC, and a more meager $225,000-ish cost for the Flying Spur.

Bentley