Keeping the back end straight turned out to be tricky for this 2024 Bentley Continental GT prototype, as its driver probably turned off the traction control for a few fast laps at the Nurburgring during the testing and fine-tuning phase. But all's well that ends well, and no parts were damaged while the camera kept rolling, other than the tires, as it likely needed a new set after the punishing session.
With CarSpyMedia recently releasing the short video on YouTube, we think this tester was caught in action earlier this week. And we couldn't ignore it, considering that we haven't seen a prototype of the facelifted Bentley Continental GT in months.
Not only the GT (coupe) but the GTC (convertible) version of the Continental is in for a mid-cycle refresh, and both will share the same visual and technical updates. Nonetheless, you'll probably need a magnifying glass to spot the changes, as they are very discreet. And we don't mean that light bar that used to equip various testers doing their thing in northern Sweden earlier this year, as that came in handy for spotting deer.
What we're talking about is the front bumper, which was slightly tweaked, rising a bit higher compared to the one of the outgoing iteration. This means the bumper now surrounds the main clusters, and it appears the side vents were a bit raised. The central part does not seem to have been tweaked for now, and it appears the grille was modestly updated, though we reckon most people will not notice it. The taillights will also be new, and they're split units this time around, which would improve the opening of the narrow trunk lid, thus allowing the car to haul gear that's a bit more voluminous.
Now, the exterior changes might fly under the radar, but the powertrain family won't. That’s because Bentley decided to give the 2024 GT and GTC versions of the Continental a partially electrified assembly. It is believed to mirror the powertrain on the Flying Spur Hybrid, so chances are it will get a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 and a single electric motor for a combined out of around 540 horsepower. Both models will probably be capable of doing approximately 20 miles (32 km) on zero emissions. This powertrain will be offered alongside the traditional internal combustion units at first, as after 2026, Bentley will only make PHEVs and EVs.
We still don't know when the British luxury automaker, which is part of the VW Group, will launch the facelifted Continental GT and GTC, but they're probably a few months away. We think they might be due this fall, which would mean deliveries would kick off before the end of the year.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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