{"id":1906031,"date":"2026-04-27T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1906031"},"modified":"2026-04-27T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T21:00:00","slug":"bentley-continental-gt-s-review-yep-its-the-new-best-version-of-the-conti-gt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1906031","title":{"rendered":"Bentley Continental GT S review: yep, it\u2019s the new \u2018best\u2019 version of the Conti GT"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Why should I care about this new Conti GT S?<\/h3>\n

Because if you care about driving it\u2019s potentially the range sweet spot: all the best chassis goodies of the flagship Speed version<\/a>, for less outlay.<\/p>\n

What sort of chassis goodies are we talking?<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s mainly a massive recalibration job. Bentley offers two separate chassis tunes that alter everything from the steering, damping, active roll control and exhaust to the rear steer mechanism, differential and launch control.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The cheaper \u2013 sorry, more affordable \u2013 Core and Azure models have the Active Chassis, the higher end Speed and Mulliner <\/a>models receive the Performance Active Chassis, plus an uprated version of the V8 hybrid powertrain. This new S slots in the middle, mating the Performance chassis with the base engine. A base engine that develops 671bhp.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hang on, all these models \u2013 what\u2019s going on?<\/h3>\n

The Continental GT range is now five models strong. Essentially there\u2019s a base car, the regular Conti GT (the Core one). If you want that with more luxury, you have the Azure, or with sharper driving dynamics, this new S. If you want the S with more power, you have the 100bhp-more-potent Speed, and if you want to throw everything at it you have the Mulliner \u2013 all the power, all the chassis tricks, all the luxury.<\/p>\n

This is all a moot point really, as Bentley\u2019s fabulously, bafflingly extensive options and extras means you can turn any version into anything you like \u2013 choosing the model is basically the jumping off point.<\/p>\n

Still, a jumping off point that varies by over \u00a370,000 between \u00a3202,400 base and \u00a3277,860 Mulliner<\/a>. And then there are the convertible versions<\/a> of each as well\u2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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So how much does the GT S cost?<\/h3>\n

\u00a3212,500. So it looks good value on paper (well, alongside its siblings, I\u2019m not making comparisons with the Dacia Duster <\/a>here), only \u00a310k over base, yet \u00a330k below the Speed which only benefits from that extra horsepower and a few spec changes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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However. This is Bentley we\u2019re talking about. To make sure people know your new S is suitably sporting you\u2019ll be wanting to add the Carbon Fibre Styling Specification (sills, mirror caps, splitter & diffuser), the Titanium Sports Exhaust and definitely the Rotating Display, because every Conti needs that. Congratulations, you\u2019ve just added \u00a312,000 + \u00a310,200 + \u00a35,320 = \u00a327,520 to your car.<\/p>\n

Which means you\u2019re at Speed money before you\u2019ve even thought about colour-matching the stitching to the paintwork.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Enough talk about such common things as money. Is this the one you want?<\/h3>\n

First thing to discuss: the powertrain. You don\u2019t need more than 671bhp. Even in a car that weighs 2,350kg. Yes, on paper the S\u2019s 3.5-second 0-62mph time is 0.4s behind the Speed, nor can it match the flagship\u2019s 208mph max, topping out at 190mph.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The important thing to remember here is that the power delivery, characteristics and noise are the same no matter which powertrain you have. All Contis have the same basic plug-in hybrid<\/a> set-up: a 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 boosted by a 187bhp electric motor sucking power from a 25.9kWh battery. Gone are the days when you chose between 4.0 V8 and 6.0 W12, today the only thing that varies is the power output of that V8.<\/p>\n

Whether you have 671 or 771bhp is really neither here nor there unless you\u2019re heading to a drag strip or autobahn. In both the performance is effortless, with instant electric torque smoothing and filling the gaps around internal combustion. It\u2019ll start in electric and continue for 40-50 miles if you like, but it\u2019s more fun to turn the ignition on, twist the mode controller to Sport and then<\/em> hit start. With the windows down.<\/p>\n

\"Bentley<\/p>\n

The sound that emerges will have people wondering where the AMG is. With the Akrapovic exhaust, it\u2019s a harder, sharper, crisper V8 noise than you expect from a Bentley. It sets the tone.<\/p>\n

And how does it drive? \u00a0<\/h3>\n

It’s not a blunt instrument. OK, it\u2019s still blunter than an Aston Martin DB12 <\/a>or any other GT you care to mention, all of which are probably half a tonne lighter, and none of which cruise anything like as imperiously as this.<\/p>\n

But it manages its weight really well. A lot of this is down to the active roll control, which allows enough lean to feel natural and easy while presumably working tremendously hard. It could do with supporting dive under braking better, but the brakes themselves aren\u2019t a strong point anyway. There\u2019s too much slack at the top of the pedal and even in Sport mode, not enough bite and response. They just feel slightly out of step with the rest of the chassis.<\/p>\n

Which is detectably crisper and more responsive. All this generation of Conti GTs are far better balanced, with the battery evening out weight distribution, meaning it doesn\u2019t just understeer and push its nose wide. It\u2019s neutral. Turn into a fast corner and both axles set to work evenly. Get on the power and \u2013 if you\u2019re in Sport mode \u2013 you can feel more torque being fed to the rear axle, divvied up by the eLSD. There\u2019s an awful lot of technology being applied here, but it drives naturally.<\/p>\n

Does anything upset it?<\/h3>\n

On the whole it performs Bentley’s usual trick of being heavy enough to steamroller roads. The primary ride is wonderful, it rises and falls over undulations beautifully. The issues come over the inevitable choppier tarmac, where the air suspension struggles to retain control over each heavy wheel. The result is a slight shudder on rough roads that perturbs the air of calmness and majesty that the GT S works so hard to achieve.<\/p>\n

Scale it back into Bentley or Comfort modes and it improves, but it\u2019s still there, and slower speeds don\u2019t eradicate the issue either. Nor does opting for a different model entirely \u2013 all Conti GTs behave like this when faced with rough, broken roads.<\/p>\n

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It has all the comfort of the Core and Azure, but with more eagerness, handling bite and attitude<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Which makes the GT S the one to go for \u2013 provided you want your Conti to have an added dimension of sportiness. Because it is added. There\u2019s no subtraction. It has all the comfort of the Core and Azure, but with more eagerness, handling bite and attitude when demanded. And no, I didn\u2019t miss the extra power or thrust \u2013 286bhp\/tonne is still a lot of force \u2013 and momentum.<\/p>\n

So it is the one to have? \u00a0<\/h3>\n

In a word, yes. Unless of course you want the GTC S convertible. But that\u2019s \u00a3233,700 and given a soft top\u2019s remit is more waft-o-matic, you don\u2019t much need added dynamism. Worth pointing out the lengths Bentley has gone to there. Because it weighs the best part of 150kg more, the set-up couldn\u2019t be carried directly over from the coupe, but had to be tweaked so, as far as possible, it would feel the same. Expect to see an S version of the Flying Spur saloon<\/a> along shortly, too.<\/p>\n

But you\u2019d have a coupe?<\/h3>\n

Absolutely. It remains the essence of what Bentley is about and what sets it apart from everyone else. Money no object I\u2019d have a Speed or Mulliner<\/a>. Just because. But if value plays any role at all, the S is the one to have.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Why should I care about this new Conti GT S? Because if you care about driving it\u2019s potentially the range sweet spot: all the best chassis goodies of the flagship Speed version, for less outlay. What sort of chassis goodies are we talking? It\u2019s mainly a massive recalibration job. Bentley offers two separate chassis tunes […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,237],"class_list":["post-1906031","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-topgear-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1906031","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1906031"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1906031\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1906031"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1906031"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1906031"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}