2026 Bentley Continental GT S and GTC S First Drive: Bending Physics
Something that weighs more than two and a half tons shouldn’t be able to handle this well. And yet.
You might look at the 2026 Bentley Continental GT S and GTC S and think to yourself, “Those are Continentals. What is so special about more Continentals?”
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Fair question. As such, there already exist the regular Continental GT, GT Azure, GT Speed, and GT Mulliner. The new GT S sits between the comfort-oriented Azure and the performance-focused Speed as happy medium. So, even though it may look exactly like the other Conti GTs, the differences lie beneath.
What S Gets You
As part of the new fourth generation, all Continentals now come equipped with a twin-turbo hybrid V-8 that replaces the outgoing W-12. Two versions of this engine are offered, and the GT S and GTC S get the base version—well, as much as you can call 671 hp and 686 lb-ft of torque “base.”
Together with this powertrain, S models also get the chassis and all the handling goodies from the Speed. That means all-wheel steering, an electronically controlled limited-slip differential and torque vectoring, twin-tube dampers, and the automaker’s 48-volt anti-roll system dubbed Bentley Dynamic Ride. It’s a lot of tech, for sure, but when the car weighs more than two and a half tons, you’ll need it all if you want any chance of sporty handling. Bentley says the car can send 100 percent of its torque to the rear axle, so drifties sound like they’re on the menu provided you also budget enough for extra tires.
The current Continentals are already nearly visually perfect, with Vitruvian Man–like proportions, but the subtle blackout treatment on the S’ mirror caps, lettering, rear diffuser, and front grille is a very nice touch. The taillights, too, receive a sinister black tint. The only things we reject are the swaths of piano-black trim in the cabin. If you can, option that out immediately for carbon fiber or something to maintain the athletic theme. Whatever you choose, it’ll go great with the plethora of indulgently tactile physical switchgear.
What the Mind Knows vs. What the Body Feels
Stepping on the gas, we laugh again at the idea of this being the lesser-powered engine. A breath-snatching tidal wave of acceleration hits your body, the tires losing zero traction underneath. Straight-line speed has been trivialized somewhat thanks to the instant torque of today’s EVs, but there’s just something about drinking fresh from a V-8 tap that makes it hit different. All the noise is real, too; no sound enhancements here. If things still aren’t muscular-sounding enough for you, there’s an Akrapovič optional exhaust system.
As a tight corner approaches, we know how much the car weighs. We brace, because we think we know how this will feel. Heavy. Understeery. Maybe some lean. But the butt dyno gives a different read. The GT S sweeps through the turn with tidiness and a nimble alacrity befitting a much smaller car. We know no one can break the rules of physics. But Bentley sure as hell figured out how to bend them.
This is not to say one would mistake the Bentley for a Lotus. There’s only so much mass the car’s smart handling systems can vanish. But whatever’s going on under the GT S’ skin works: For a plush yacht on wheels, the car can and will haul ass. The brakes are likewise unflappably strong, although you can feel the regenerative portion through the pedal when bringing the car to gentler stops.
Our only complaint is the steering feel. Regardless of driving mode, it remains a little vague and a touch too slow, not totally congruent with everything else the car can do. We understand having superfast steering can be annoying in Normal mode when you’re just trying to cruise. But if things were sharpened up in Sport mode, it would inspire even more confidence in the twisties.
