The 2025 Bentley Continental GT Will Get Ultra Performance From Hybrid Power
They saved the debut of the new performance hybrid V-8 for one of Bentley’s best cars for enthusiasts of performance the world over.
We knew that the iconic W-12 from Bentley was gone, and a new hybrid system was coming to replace it. What we didn’t know was which Bentley vehicle would get the replacement first. We’ll finally see the first Ultra Performance Hybrid (UPH) with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 this June.
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That vehicle is the 2025 Bentley Continental GT, a car worthy of the hybrid replacement of the W-12. We also finally know a few more details on this UPH powerplant just before it arrives. When both the ICE-powered 4.0-liter and electric motor are powered together, around 771 hp and 737.5 lb-ft of torque will be sent to the wheels. This is 121 hp and 73.5 lb-ft of torque more than the W-12 in the Mulliner W12 Coupe.
While a transmission hasn’t been announced, the Continental GT will drive all four wheels with its active AWD system that will allow for torque vectoring. We won’t be surprised to see the return of the ZF-based eight-speed automatic transmission that's likely. Also returning is the electronic limited slip differential to ensure maximum traction torque hits at the drop of the accelerator pedal. It’s just that the only thing you will hear is the noise of asphalt chewing away the tires. Being a hybrid model, the 2025 Continental GT will be able to drive up to 50 miles on all-electric power.
New Driving Dynamics
While you’re driving on either EV or ICE power, the 2025 Continental GT will still be as athletic as the original W-12. Or possibly better. This is thanks in part to tuning of the 48-volt electric anti-roll control system, a retuning rear-wheel steering system, and a set of new advanced dual-valve dampers. Bentley promises that this latest generation of the Continental GT chassis tech will make for “exceptional dynamics” out of the popular, beastly GT coupe.
Other Hybrid Options?
Potentially, this won’t be the only hybrid version of the Continental GT. While Bentley didn’t announce any other hybrid platforms, we expect the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 hybrid powertrain to come on the future Continental GT Base, C, S, and Azure coupes and convertibles or its equivalents. We’d just expect to see more than the 456 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque that the Bentayga produces.
The New Continental GT Exterior
On top of the news of the arrival of the UPH V-8, the Continental GT will receive a new look. Gone are the quartet of front lights as they are replaced by a pair of headlights with a new integrated side marker light. The side grilles and lower fascia also receive updates to their looks, but these possibly won’t be seen on all Continental GTs. The iconic grille of this large coupe looks to be sporting a new module of some sort, which hopefully means we’re finally going to see some modern ADAS features in the Continental GT. The front brakes appear to be eight-piston units.
Despite its hybrid engine, the dual exhaust pipes remain on the updated rear fascia. The area around the rear license plate is now prouder than the original and blends into the rest of the rear bumper in a similar U-shape of the rear decklid, but upside-down. We also see a new rear taillight design that’s much wider and entering deeper into the decklid face. These new taillights also have a cutline and look to split when the trunk is open rather than remain like they currently are designed. We also see that the fuel filler door has possibly moved from the right-side rear quarter panel to the left-side, but the door retains the body lines just as the 2024 model does.
Dude, Where’s My Charge Port?
What we don’t see in these images is a port location for a charge port. It’s entirely possible that this new left-hand port is the charge port, but we don’t see any evidence of a matching cover on the right-hand side of the Continental GT as we see in the Bentayga PHEV and older test mules of a PHEV Continental GT had port covers on each rear quarter. Either the Continental GT with is UPH system is not a PHEV, the charge port is located somewhere else, or the charge port is hidden under or by the camouflage wrapping.
Regardless, the new UPH-powered Continental GT also arrives in time to potentially be the 100,000th example built since its arrival in 2002, though the U.S. didn’t see one until the 2004 model year. What a way to celebrate that milestone.
Having experience in many forms of the automotive industry, Justin Banner has done more than just write about cars. For more than 15 years, he's had experience working as an automotive service technician—including a stint as a Virginia State Inspector—service advisor, parts sales, and aftermarket parts technical advisor (a fancy way of saying he helped you on the phone when you had trouble fitting your brakes over your aftermarket wheels and the like). Prior to his tenure as a full-time editor, Justin worked as a freelance writer and photographer for various publications and as an automotive content creator on YouTube. He’s also covered multiple forms of motorsports ranging from Formula Drift, drag racing, and time attack, to NASCAR, short course off-roading, and open desert racing. He's best known for breaking down complex technical concepts so a layperson can more easily understand why technologies, repairs, and parts should matter to them. At MotorTrend, Justin is part of the news team covering breaking news and topics while also working as a judge for MotorTrend Of the Year events and other major comparison tests.
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