The Volkswagen Group acquired Bentley in 1998, but the British marque's trademark W12 engine was introduced five years later by the Continental GT. Discontinued in April 2024 after no fewer than 105,000 units were produced in Crewe, the 6.0L twin-turbo W12 will be replaced for 2025 by a 4.0L twin-turbo V8 with plug-in hybrid assistance.
The British automaker dubs it Ultra Performance Hybrid, which may sound a little obnoxious. However, the specs back up the braggadocio. According to Bentley, the hybridized powertrain develops more than 750 ps and 1,000 Nm of torque, meaning 740 horsepower and 738 pound-feet.
Although the gross and net battery capacities are not known at the moment of reporting, the Ultra Performance Hybrid is expected to be WLTP-rated at 80 kilometers (50 miles) of electric driving range. Considering that Bentley will unleash the first V8 plug-in hybrid in the second half of 2024 for model year 2025, it should come as no surprise that carparazzo Kindel Auto has recently spotted a facelifted Conti GT with minimal camouflage.
The black-painted Continental GTC in the video below is rocking a manufacturer plate, a charging port door on the rear left quarter panel, and the gas door on the right one. The charging port door's location is similar to the Continental GT-derived Flying Spur Hybrid and the technically different Bentayga Hybrid, which rely on 2.9L twin-turbo and 3.0L twin-turbo V6 engines, respectively.
Based on the MSB and MLB platforms, the Flying Spur Hybrid and Bentayga Hybrid fare pretty well on paper. Think up to 536 horsepower, 553 pound-feet (750 Nm), and 24.4 kWh per 100 kilometers (62 miles) for the ultra-luxury sedan, but alas, both disappoint from the standpoint of aural pleasure.
Photo: KindelAuto on YouTube
This is where the Ultra Performance Hybrid comes in, a powertrain that will inevitably add more curb weight to the already heavy Continental GT and Flying Spur. The Bentayga is certain to get it as well because it's joined at the hip to the Porsche Cayenne. The German automaker's punchiest Cayenne yet is the Turbo E-Hybrid, which makes 729 horsepower and 700 pound-feet (950 Nm).
As far as exterior updates are concerned, the Continental GTC prototype's camouflaged headlights and taillights are certainly different from those of the 2024 model. Two oval exhaust finishers with two exits per side also need to be mentioned, along with a sportier front bumper. Speaking of which, the revised headlights are mounted in the car's front bumper rather than the front fenders.
Minor changes are in the offing for the cockpit as well, beginning with the latest infotainment system and some PHEV-specific buttons. Bentley could also get access to the Panamera's passenger-side touchscreen, although this option would result in less room for veneer or carbon-fiber garnishing.
Because of the plug-in hybrid additions, the Continental GT's price will surely go up for model year 2025. The outgoing Continental GT and Continental GTC start at $245,850 and $270,150, respectively, in the United States. The Flying Spur, meanwhile, is pricier with the plug-in hybrid V6 powertrain as opposed to the unassisted V8, with said starting prices being $218,050 and $224,350.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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