Photo: CarPix
Having drawn a relatively large crowd at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show when it was unveiled, the third-generation Bentley Continental GT entered production the following year at Crewe, in England. Now, a little over five years after its grand unveiling, the British luxury car marque continues the road-testing phase of the facelifted iteration.
Spied undergoing testing in Europe’s frozen north, close to the Arctic Circle, the 2024 Bentley Continental GT was joined by its open-top sibling, the 2024 Continental GTC. Both wore some camouflage at the front and rear, which is where the novelties will be found, and don’t mind those big light bars attached to their noses, as they will obviously not make their way to the production models.
Expect the usual design updates that will revolve around its fascias, with what appear to be new headlights, perhaps joined by a slightly modified bumper up front. We wouldn’t hold our breath for a new grille, but the pattern might be different. At the rear, it will get new taillights and bumper and the scooped prototypes also featured new exhaust tips. Chances are that Bentley will sprinkle them with new colors and wheels, yet for now, these were not out of the ordinary, as they would have attracted too much unwanted attention.
By the looks of it, our man with the cam captured the V8-powered models, which may or may not get some tweaks under the hood. The same goes for the W12-powered variants too, and both will continue to use the eight-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission from Porsche. The biggest upgrade, however, will be the introduction of a plug-in hybrid powertrain, part of the company’s ambitions of offering only such drivetrains and zero-emission ones by 2026. We have already spotted the partially-electrified Continental, when a prototype was seen doing its thing at the Nurburgring last fall.
In all likelihood, the PHEV powertrain could be shared with the Flying Spur Hybrid. After all, the luxury sedan is based on the same underpinnings, which also stretch to the Mulliner Bacalar and Porsche Panamera. If that is indeed the case, then look for the 2.9-liter V6 engine, with twin-turbocharging, backed up by an electric motor that is, in turn, fed by a 14.1 kWh battery.
The Flying Spur Hybrid has a combined 536 hp (544 ps/400 kW) and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque on tap and can hit 62 mph (100 kph) from rest in 4.1 seconds, en route to a 177 mph (285 kph) top speed. It can travel over 435 miles (700 km) with a fully charged battery and a tank full of gasoline, and it has a zero-emission driving range of over 25 miles (40 km).
Bentley is expected to unveil the facelifted Continental GT in the coming months.
Expect the usual design updates that will revolve around its fascias, with what appear to be new headlights, perhaps joined by a slightly modified bumper up front. We wouldn’t hold our breath for a new grille, but the pattern might be different. At the rear, it will get new taillights and bumper and the scooped prototypes also featured new exhaust tips. Chances are that Bentley will sprinkle them with new colors and wheels, yet for now, these were not out of the ordinary, as they would have attracted too much unwanted attention.
By the looks of it, our man with the cam captured the V8-powered models, which may or may not get some tweaks under the hood. The same goes for the W12-powered variants too, and both will continue to use the eight-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission from Porsche. The biggest upgrade, however, will be the introduction of a plug-in hybrid powertrain, part of the company’s ambitions of offering only such drivetrains and zero-emission ones by 2026. We have already spotted the partially-electrified Continental, when a prototype was seen doing its thing at the Nurburgring last fall.
In all likelihood, the PHEV powertrain could be shared with the Flying Spur Hybrid. After all, the luxury sedan is based on the same underpinnings, which also stretch to the Mulliner Bacalar and Porsche Panamera. If that is indeed the case, then look for the 2.9-liter V6 engine, with twin-turbocharging, backed up by an electric motor that is, in turn, fed by a 14.1 kWh battery.
The Flying Spur Hybrid has a combined 536 hp (544 ps/400 kW) and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque on tap and can hit 62 mph (100 kph) from rest in 4.1 seconds, en route to a 177 mph (285 kph) top speed. It can travel over 435 miles (700 km) with a fully charged battery and a tank full of gasoline, and it has a zero-emission driving range of over 25 miles (40 km).
Bentley is expected to unveil the facelifted Continental GT in the coming months.
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