Bentley's Electric Turn: The New Continental GT and Flying Spur

Bentley describes itself as offering the widest range of handcrafted cars in the world, and that craftsmanship has always been paired with immense, effortless power. Now the marque is entering a new chapter, one in which that power comes increasingly from electricity, as Bentley works toward an all electric future.

A More Powerful Grand Tourer

The change is most visible in the new Continental GT. Long the definitive grand tourer, it now uses an Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain that pairs a V8 with an electric motor, making it among the most powerful road cars Bentley has ever produced. Crucially, the added performance arrives without cost to the refinement and long distance comfort that define the model. The Flying Spur, Bentley's grand saloon, adopts the same hybrid approach, bringing electric assisted power to the back seat as well as the front.

The Range

Alongside the Continental GT and Flying Spur sit the Bentayga, the marque's luxury SUV, and a limited Supersports model for those who want the sharpest expression of Bentley performance. Above the standard range, Bentley's Mulliner division continues the ancient art of coachbuilding, creating rare, hand finished cars in tiny numbers for its most exacting clients.

Toward an Electric Future

These hybrids are a bridge rather than a destination. Bentley has committed to becoming a fully electric marque, and the new Continental GT and Flying Spur are the first steps, introducing electrified performance to buyers before the combustion engine disappears entirely. For a company built on smooth, silent power, the transition, much like at Rolls-Royce, looks less like a reinvention than a natural evolution.