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In the world of ultra-luxury cars, there’s only ever been a small and exclusive band of manufacturers.
Bentley is the spokesman for people that want to see the finer things, but still prefers sitting with their steering wheel instead of driving them.
The Continental GT has always owned that space within the Bentley stable – being a grand tourer-style coupe for crossing entire countries (or continents) in comfort and speed.
The aptly named Continental GT is perhaps best known for that ability, but the truth behind it is that it can be just as good as a daily commuter or even cutting up ‘a mountain road’ when asked to answer “whatever I do” on my behalf.
It’s a more aggressive Continental GT Speed, with the added power and an advanced chassis which is designed to be more oriented towardsspirited driving (with some sportier interior and exterior components).
Now, there’s this: the 2026 Bentley Continental GT S, which splits the difference between the Conti GT and the Speed.
In essence, it adds the trick suspension and all-wheel steering (along with a sports exhaust) and torque vectoring of the Speed to the ‘entry-level’ Continental GT.
Or, in other words, this is a Speed but with a somewhat less powerful plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Don’t misunderstand, though, because this car is just 0. He’s a 3 seconds slower than the Speed to 100km/h and has lots of sports-like exterior, interior equipment including Blackline package.
British automaker The model has previously offered a GT S, but after several years the model grade is back – and we were among the first journalists to have been on Australian soil for it.
We drove it at Sydney Motorsport Park specifically, where the GT S only landed in the country and was not road-registered when testing took place. Similarly, we had the opportunity to drive the Continental GT Speed on several roads in Sydney’s north over the days before and gave a good base to understand the GT S.
But that’s what makes this review a ‘quick drive’ for paraphrazingr. Possibly, however, a ‘very quick drive’ would have been more appropriate – in many ways than one.
How much does the Bentley Continental GT S cost?
A range of $488,000 plus on-road costs will see the Bentley Continental GT S now occupy above it at $534,000 before on road trips.
| Model | Price before on-road costs |
| — | — |
| Bentley Continental GT | $488,000 |
| Bentley Continental GT S | $534,000 |
| Bentley Continental GTC | $540,000 |
| Bentley Continental GT Azure | $575,000 |
| Bentley Continental GT Speed | $584,000 |
| Bentley Continental GT Mulliner | $632,000 |
| Bentley Continental GTC Azure | $632,000 |
| Bentley Continental GTC Speed | $644,000 |
| Bentley Continental GTC Mulliner | $696,000 |
It’s not really a good price point to say ‘bargain’, although this is more or less – it has compared with ‘the Continental GT Speed (which suffers from comparatively small performance deficit and 5% discount) that makes sense as the smarter buy.
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It’s actually quite a good list of competitors to choose from for similar money, as in . While many of them are either luxury or performance, few focus on offering both to such a high-end as the Bentley – nor do they have slick plug-in hybrid powertrainers?
What is the Bentley Continental GT S like on the inside?
This cabin is a space to be cossetted in, but still leaves the driver in control.
Unless you know the Bentley Continental GT, then there is no really any surprise in theGT S. The leather, chrome and other luxury materials are a lot in the car that costs over half – 500,000 dollars.
The Continental has a variety of real buttons and knobs, unlike ‘premium’ cars that cost tenth the price tag – it allows the people to immediately adjust their climate, entertainment or aspects of how the car drives without having to dig through menus on the screen.
But that’s some irony for there’s a bit of iron in it. Increasingly expensive cars began to offer bigger screen screens and more of them; the less expensive car quickly followed. The influx of more switchgear and fewer screens is fast becoming a luxury experience for s now.
Despite the fact that there is still an HD-definition screen of 12 inches, it has no high-resolution. This allows for more control of things such as the automatic climate control and infotainment, which is imposed on 3 inches. Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard defaults of Naturally.
If you’re looking for a more traditional driving experience, the screen can flip around – like something from. James Bond movie – with three analogue gauges that show up to 3 anallogue scales (all of which perfectly match the clock in the lower part of the dashboard).
It’s a wonderfully entertaining party trick.
Interestingly, lead designer for Bespoke at Bentley Mulliner Hugo R Chizlett told me the company now tests the UV rating of materials used in the dashboard – exotic woods chosen by clients – because one side is exposed to much less sunlight than other parts around it.
If the vehicle is turned off, the screen flips back and offers a clean continuation of the dash panel – that’s carbon-fibre, metal, woodgrain or some other exotic material chosen by owner.
It’s a great job for the leather steering wheel to be as centrepiece of the cabin, mixing just the right diameter, thickness, dish and shortcut buttons with an appropriate level of sportiness and grandeur.
It’s a theme of that goes on for the rest of its life. You’re invited to the world of the Bentley Continental GT S, and you’re greeted with swathes of fine hand-made leather covering almost every surface that can be seen on it, covered in high quality carpet across the floors.
There are also slick moments of chrome throughout, such as the elegant ‘organ-stop’ air vent pushes, the paddle shifters and the stalks of the metal column.
Bentley’s interior people are masters at juxtaposing brightwork against the rich, matte leather.
But if you do not like the standard colour palettes and materials that Bentley provides for your Mulliner division, it allows you to personalise every inch of the car. There are infinite possibilities.
The Continental GT S’s Ergonomics are nearly perfect, and while the heated and ventilated seats do provide a good balance of comfort and support, it did have some adjustment to find the right position.
It’s easy to get starstruck by the ‘B’ symbol in the middle of the airbag – heritage, performance and price tag that matches a one-bedroom apartment all stay on top of mind when behind the wheel.
And just step back, and – although Bentley is sure to have an excellent crack – you’ll know there’s no one like perfection.
While these button-based buttons have the same good soft click as other related brands, including Porsche, knobs and dials are a bit defused while in use with them they do not carry much of their own weight.
That’s a good thing, but it would be no big deal for to say. But this is a vehicle that costs over half – million dollars, and each touchpoint and interaction should be the best there can be.
The BMW 7 Series of the early 2000s is a classic example of what I’m reminded of. In the days before Apple CarPlay was widespread, the German automaker spent much time developing a special centre-console dial to navigate its iDrive system on the screen (particularly attention paid to its tactility and response).
As if the constant attention to minutiae isn’t always present throughout the Continental GT, it feels like that obsessive attention. Several parts of the inside look as if they are built to the highest quality standard, but not all.
The climate control also surprised me, as did I. A fan on anything other than the minimum setting is set up; a person uses an Dyson hand dryer in ‘public bathroom bathrooms,’ and it sounds like someone using.
Perhaps this is a more obvious explanation for the cabin being so well isolated from outside world, but it seemed like an oversight.
Overly critical? Perhaps. But again, given the price, the standard here is – or should be – a lot higher.
That is not the only soundstage for a spectacular stereo, but that insulated cabin also provides an ideal sound stage for the dramatic audio. And if almost every manufacturer has some kind of ‘premium’ sound system, this is certainly one of the best I have ever heard.
The Bentley is a four-seater GT coupe, and it’s far more practical than something like. Porsche 911 or Aston Martin Vantage – although the back seats would be best for carrying small grandkids to breakfast rather than taking your adult friends on Byron Bay road trip?
This could also be another reason for the lack of boot space in . It should be enough for most couples to have its 260 litres, but four big bags would be stretchable.
A note is that the Bentley Continental GT S isn’t as much a car for other people as it is to you, the driver. This car is the vehicle of your own valet, with its premium sound system, the powered tailgate, soft-close doors – it’s like you have an exclusive vale.
With voice-activated AI assistants on your smartphone, you could run your business empire while cruising down the Hume Freeway.
| Dimensions | Bentley Continental GT S |
| — | — |
| Length | 4895mm |
| Width | 1966mm |
| Height | 1397mm |
| Wheelbase | 2851mm |
| Cargo capacity | 260L |
What’s under the bonnet?
The Continental GT S (as mentioned above) combines many elements of the Speed, but offers them the 4 with it). The GT has 0-litre V8 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain with a 0L V8, plug in hybrid.
| Specifications | Bentley Continental GT S |
| — | — |
| Engine | 4.0L twin-turbo petrol V8 PHEV |
| Engine outputs | 382kW / 770Nm |
| Electric motor outputs | 140kW / 450Nm |
| System outputs | 500kW / 930Nm |
| Battery | 25.9kWh |
| Transmission | 8-speed dual-clutch automatic |
| Drive type | All-wheel drive |
| Weight | 2459kg |
| 0-100km/h (claimed) | 3.5 seconds |
| Fuel tank capacity | 80L |
| Fuel requirement | 98-octane premium unleaded |
| Emissions standard | Euro 6 |
The engine itself generates a healthy 382kW of power and 770Nm of torque by itself, but the electric motor in this hybrid system increases that to 500kW and 930NM.
The numbers are increased to 575kW and 1000Nm in the Continental GT Speed, which uses the same V8 as a base. The High Performance Hybrid is the 500kW PHEV powertrain in the GT and GT S, while the 575kW (PHV) power train in this Speed is called Ultra Performance Hbride.
The transmission is an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic with a manual mode and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
Bentley, who has been aided by all-wheel drive, says the car can cover the 0-100km/h sprint in just 3 seconds. 1 second (over 300km/h) with a top speed of 5 seconds.
The number of official fuel consumption numbers has not yet been published, but should be far from the 4 claim by Continental GT. 1L/100km – .
Our driver was on track, the car’s 80-litre fuel tank had a pretty regular refilling of its fuel and I think we didn’t quite get those figures in the day.
The GT S comes with a 25.9kWh battery, with Bentley claiming a pure-electric driving range of up to 80km.
To see how the Bentley Continental lines up against the competition, check out our
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How does the Bentley Continental GT S drive?
Generally, if you drive your Bentley Continental GT S at 100km/h (or below), then just once are you accessing part of the vehicle’s capability and only half it is available to straight-line speed.
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If you are thinking of a track car, it’s not necessarily the first brand that comes to your mind when considering one but taking it on its own local circuit and stretching its legs is certainly something you should do at least once because it’s hell of an hour.
Most people will think that a Bentley is just going to be the price of you performance and luxury – while those things are true, what you’re really paying for is engineering and capability.
Continental GT is a hugely capable machine across’very wide range of tasks’. And it’s all about everything you can think of, from a comfortable traffic commuter and long-distance executive jet to an alpine road blaster and even.
But the GT S pushes that further.
If you start to open the throttle on pit exit it’s immediately clear that this powertrain isn’t really lacking anything. If you’re going to a head-to-head battle on track, the extra performance in the Speed would almost certainly make it different but reality is that when you are driving on the road anyways and use all of those things.
Despite the fact that, of course more power is always appreciated, at no time when I was driving deep into triple figures down the straight did “y’know, I could really use an extra 75kW and 70Nm right now”?
A true symphony on acceleration, which is made by the crossplane-crank V8, combined with the sports exhaust, announces its intent to those around, but never becomes too aggressive or antisocial. In addition, it encourages the right pedal to be used in every single sentence.
The big Bentley doesn’t deal with the kind of aggressive excitement that is typical of supercars with similar price tags, despite the noises coming from the car, but it can still run through corners better than most would expect to see.
After a few tight and winding roads with the Continental GT Speed (the suspension) that is active in conjunction with all-wheel drive, four- wheel steering, torque vectoring and electronic limited-slip differential ensures circa-2. This is a 5-tonne, 2187mm-wide coupe that feels far smaller and more nimble than physics suggests should be possible.
If you put those ingredients in the Conti GT and drop it on a racetrack, then the GT S does an impressive job of getting around corners flat and at speed, completely belying its dimensions – and ultimately elevating drivers with even the least talent and experience.
Considering the Conti’s huge weight, driving up to 8/10ths – which is plenty of speed with this performance – did not give any hint of understeer from the front-end. Those limitations are much higher than the majority of will comfortably test for, because it is so vast that most can be tested by the sheer breadth of the chassis’ capabilities.
And for sure, those capabilities are more than I was comfortable testing (especially when it’s my John Hancock on the liability form)
The torque vectoring technology is doing a lot of heavy lifting, there’s no doubt that the . The whole footprint of the car virtually shrinks, making it extremely responsive through bends by putting torque to individual wheels at each corner.
This is also aided by the Performance Active Chassis and Dynamic Ride, which includes active dampers and 48-volt active sway bars to ensure that the vehicle doesn’t pitch or roll in any way (all while maintaining a very comfortable ride over harsher surfaces).
The debate between ride and handling has been a long-standing compromise, but the Bentley shows that engineering and technology can now reduce that compromise to almost nothing. Certainly in the hands of a good driver and within reasonable limits.
I also liked the steering, both weight and feedback. There is no metric that makes it sharpest; however, the technicians have worked well to tune this out so as not to be inappropriate across the widest of driving situations.
There are the brakes, which provide significant stopping power at speeds that would make nightly news but remain completely usable walking at a pace and don’t ever grabby, sensitive or loud. Can you do a ‘limousine stop’ even after fewer heavy laps?
That’s what makes this car the engine that is behind , but it’s the engines? Just like the brakes, there seems to be virtually no compromise from the twin-turbo V8, which is electrified with plenty of push available for access in pretty much any gear.
As for the Continental’s character, it isn’t exactly manic performance from engine – even in the rev range – and feels like a constant firehose of power and torque ready to tap into with dummy pressure.
A lot like other modern turbocharged vehicles, the British coupe is similar to many of the cars such as the Hyundai i20 N and Toyota GR Yaris; in fact, when they come on boost it barely notice that their turbos are produced (and force compressed air into each of these eight cylinders)? There’s just a crescendo of sound and the seat pushing into your back from.
The difference between the GT S and Speed was not really clear, nor was it a matter of power. I think we would probably need more back-to-back time in both and across a variety of contexts to really understand thenuances, but it’s not night–and-day.
The automatic isn’t the sharpest and nor has been the most state-of-the-art dual-clutch transmission we’ve ever had, but it’s smooth when driving slowly and relatively fast and responsive when not slow down.
It’s like a rock band with stadium-worthy lyrics, such as the GT S. While its V8 is a true star of the show, it would not be much more important if the rest weren’t performing at the highest level and giving it an opportunity to shine.
To see how the Bentley Continental lines up against the competition, check out our
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What do you get?
In a way, the Bentley Continental GT S is naturally one of the most extensive list of standard equipment in the world and even more options are available.
2026 Bentley Continental GT S standard equipment highlights:
- 22-inch alloy wheels
- Nappa leather interior
- Heated and ventilated front electric seats
- Heated steering wheel
- 12.3-inch infotainment screen
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- DAB+ digital radio
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- Soft-close doors
- Sports exhaust
- Bentley Performance Active Chassis
- Twin-valve dampers
- Torque vectoring front-to-rear and across the axles
- 48V Bentley Dynamic Ride active anti-roll system
- New-generation ESC control software
- Electronic limited-slip differential
- All-wheel steering
- Dynamic Mode
- ESC fully-off mode
- Blackline Specification
- Dark front lower spoiler
- Gloss-black matrix grilles
- Black Bentley wings badging
- Black BENTLEY lettering
- Beluga black mirror caps
- Sill extensions
- Rear diffuser
- Dark-tint full-LED matrix headlights
- Bentley Precision design headlight detailing
- Dark-tint tail-lights
- Dark-tint tailpipe finishers
- Unique two-colour upholstery
- Fluted seat design
- Piano Black veneer
To see how the Bentley Continental lines up against the competition, check out our
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Is the Bentley Continental GT S safe?
As is the case with many exotic cars, the Bentley Continental has not been crash-tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP.
Standard safety features include:
- 10 airbags
- Adaptive Cruise Assist
- Lane Assist
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Emergency Assist
- Reversing camera including 3D Surround View
- Parking sensors – front, rear
- Intelligent Park Assist
- City Assist – AEB
- Manoeuvre Assist
- Pedestrian warning
- Rear cross-traffic alert
To see how the Bentley Continental lines up against the competition, check out our
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How much does the Bentley Continental GT S cost to run?
Continental GT S is supported by a relatively short three-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty from Bentley and five years of scheduled service at no additional cost.
| Servicing and Warranty | Bentley Continental GT S |
| — | — |
| Warranty | 3 years, unlimited kilometres |
| Roadside assistance | 3 years |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 16,000 kilometres |
| Capped-price servicing | 5 years complimentary |
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childcareman.xyz’s Take on the Bentley Continental GT S
But as you would imagine, the Bentley Continental GT S resembles a hugely capable grand tourer that won’t be embarrassed with other exotic performance cars on the track.
The Continental GT S is full of power, and can drive in electric mode – giving owners an attractive, luxury electric car near-silent week (weekly), quasi-supercar on weekends for the mountain pass or something to eat up miles when crossing the country.
The Speed is a much more interesting or emotional piece of than it may be, but there’s no doubt that the Conti GT lineup will be chosen for this one-way ticket.
While its horsepower figures and road presence suggest this would be an intimidating experience, that’s not the case at all.
It has the maximum of capability in the car itself, but it is really like a GT S on long road trips and roads with high-speed sweeping bends – as well as daily commute to office.
I was with the GT S for a very short time, and limited to the racetrack so we’re certainly looking forward to doing those things on the road – and confirming that it is actually the sweet spot in the Bentley range.
For buyers who are willing to save $50,000 and remit some numbers on paper, or who would like their day soundtracked by a sonorous V8, the Bentley Continental GT S performs on all fronts.
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