In the world of ultra-luxury cars, there’s only ever been a small and exclusive band of manufacturers.
Bentley has always been the go-to for those who demand the finer things, but still prefer to sit behind the steering wheel rather than being chauffeured.
And within the Bentley stable, the Continental GT has consistently owned that space – being a high-performance coupe designed as a grand tourer for crossing entire countries (or continents) in comfort and speed.
But while the aptly named Continental GT is perhaps best known for that ability, its secret is that it is just as capable as a daily commuter, or even cutting up a mountain road when asked.
Then there’s the more aggressive Continental GT Speed, offering extra power and a sophisticated chassis that is slanted more towards spirited driving, with the addition of some sportier interior and exterior items.
Now, there’s this: the 2026 Bentley Continental GT S, which splits the difference between the Conti GT and the Speed.
It essentially adds the trick suspension, all-wheel steering, an electronic limited-slip differential, and torque vectoring of the Speed to the ‘entry-level’ Continental GT, as well as a sports exhaust and some other goodies.
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 0.3 seconds slower than the Speed to 100km/h, and gains a lot of sporty exterior and interior accoutrements such as the Blackline package.
The British automaker has previously offered a GT S, but now after an absence of several years the model grade has returned – and we were among the first journalists to experience it on Australian soil.
Specifically, we drove it at Sydney Motorsport Park, with the GT S only just landing in the country and not being road-registered at the time of testing. We also had the opportunity to drive the Continental GT Speed on a variety of roads to Sydney’s north in the days prior, providing a good baseline to better understand the GT S.
That’s why this particular review is a ‘quick drive’. But perhaps a ‘very quick drive’ would have been more appropriate – in more ways than one.
How much does the Bentley Continental GT S cost?
The Bentley Continental GT range starts from $488,000 plus on-road costs, with the GT S now slotting in above it at $534,000 before on-roads.
| 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 |
The term ‘bargain’ doesn’t really feel appropriate at this price level, but considering this is more or less a Continental GT Speed with a relatively minor performance deficit and a $50,000 discount, it does come across as the smarter buy.
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For similar money, there is actually quite a decent list of competitors to choose from. But while many of them are either luxury or performance, few focus on offering both to such a high degree as the Bentley – nor do they come with a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
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.
If you’re familiar with the Bentley Continental GT, then the GT S won’t really offer any surprises. There’s plenty of leather, chrome, and other high-end materials befitting a car costing more than half a million dollars.
But unlike ‘premium’ cars that cost a tenth of the price, the Continental still offers an array of real buttons and knobs – providing the occupants with the ability to immediately adjust their climate, entertainment, or aspects of how the car drives, without having to dig through menus on the screen.
There’s some irony in that. More expensive vehicles rushed into offering larger screens and more of them, with cheaper cars quickly following. Now, fewer screens and more switchgear are fast becoming a luxury experience.
There is still a high-definition screen, measuring 12.3 inches, allowing greater control of things like the automatic climate control and infotainment. Naturally, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard.
For those seeking a more traditional driving experience, if optioned, the screen can flip around – like something out of a James Bond film – revealing three analogue gauges, all of which perfectly match the clock embedded 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 for the dashboard – such as exotic woods chosen by clients – given the rotating module means one side may see a lot less sunlight than the other pieces surrounding it.
When the vehicle is off, the screen flips again, offering a clean continuation of the dash panel – whether that’s carbon-fibre, metal, woodgrain, or some other exotic material chosen by the owner.
The leather steering wheel does a fantastic job of being the centrepiece of the cabin, combining just the right diameter, thickness, dish, and shortcut buttons to provide a level of sportiness and grandeur.
That theme continues throughout. Step into the world of the Bentley Continental GT S, and you’re met with swathes of high-grade, hand-stitched leather covering almost every conceivable surface, mated with high-quality carpet on the floors.
There are also tasteful moments of chrome featuring throughout, like the elegant ‘organ-stop’ air vent pushes, the paddle shifters, and the knurled metal column stalks.
Bentley’s interior people are masters at juxtaposing brightwork against the rich, matte leather.
However, if you don’t like the standard colour palettes and materials offered by Bentley, the company’s Mulliner division allows you to personalise every inch of the car. The possibilities are infinite.
Ergonomics in the Continental GT S are almost perfect, and while the heated and ventilated seats do provide a good balance of comfort and support, it did take some adjustment to find the right position.
It’s easy to get starstruck by the ‘B’ emblem in the middle of the airbag – the heritage, the performance, and a price tag that matches a one-bedroom apartment all remain front-of-mind when behind the wheel.
But take a step back, and – while Bentley certainly has a good crack – you’ll realise there’s rarely such a thing as perfection.
While the buttons possess the same satisfying soft click found in other related brands, such as Porsche, the knobs and dials have a small amount of deflection when using them.
Normally, this wouldn’t be noteworthy. But this vehicle costs more than half a million dollars, and each touchpoint and interaction should be the best there is.
I’m reminded of the BMW 7 Series of the early 2000s. Before Apple CarPlay was commonplace, the German automaker spent significant resources developing a special centre-console dial to navigate its iDrive system on the screen, with particular attention paid to its tactility and response.
It feels as if that obsessive attention to minutiae isn’t always present throughout the Continental GT. Many areas inside appear built to the highest quality standard, but not all.
I was also surprised by the climate control. Set the fan on anything other than the minimum setting, and it sounds like someone using a Dyson hand dryer in a public bathroom.
This may be more noticeable because the cabin is so well insulated from the 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.
However, that insulated cabin also makes an ideal soundstage for the spectacular stereo. In a world where almost every manufacturer offers some type of ‘premium’ sound system, this is certainly one of the best I’ve experienced.
The Bentley is indeed a four-seater GT coupe, making it far more practical than something like a Porsche 911 or Aston Martin Vantage – though the back seats would be best kept for transporting small grandkids to breakfast, rather than taking your adult friends on a road trip to Byron Bay.
Another reason would be the lack of boot space. Its 260 litres should be enough for most couples, but four big bags would be a stretch.
It’s worth emphasising that the Bentley Continental GT S isn’t so much a car for other people as it is for you, the driver. The premium sound system, the powered tailgate, the soft-close doors – this vehicle takes the role of your personal valet.
Add the convenience of voice-activated AI assistants on your smartphone, and 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?
As mentioned, the Continental GT S takes many elements of the Speed, but offers them with the 4.0-litre V8 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain found in the GT.
| 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 produces a healthy 382kW of power and 770Nm of torque on its own, but the electric motor in this hybrid system boosts that to a combined 500kW and 930Nm.
In the Continental GT Speed, which uses the same V8 as a base, the numbers are boosted to 575kW and 1000Nm. In Bentley-speak, the 500kW PHEV powertrain in the GT and GT S is known as the High Performance Hybrid, while the 575kW PHEV powertrain in the Speed is referred to as the Ultra Performance Hybrid.
The transmission is an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic with a manual mode and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
Aided by all-wheel drive, Bentley claims the vehicle can cover the 0-100km/h sprint in just 3.5 seconds, with a top speed of more than 300km/h.
Official fuel consumption numbers have yet to be published, but they shouldn’t be far off those of the Continental GT’s claim of 4.1L/100km.
Our driving component was all on track, with the vehicle’s 80-litre fuel tank requiring refilling pretty regularly, so I suspect we didn’t quite achieve those figures on 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 comparison tool
How does the Bentley Continental GT S drive?
In terms of straight-line speed, if you mostly drive your Bentley Continental GT S at 100km/h or below, then you’ll only ever be accessing a fraction of the vehicle’s capability.
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Bentley may not necessarily be the first brand you think of when considering a track car, but if you are fortunate enough to own one of these things, taking it to your local circuit to stretch its legs is certainly something you should do at least once, because it’s a hell of a time.
I suspect many will assume the price of a Bentley simply buys you performance and high-end luxury – and while those things are true, what you’re really paying for is engineering and capability.
The Continental GT is hugely capable across a wide horizon of tasks. It excels at everything you can think of, making it everything from a comfortable traffic commuter and long-distance executive jet, to an alpine road blaster and even a track car.
But the GT S pushes that further.
Opening up the throttle on pit exit, it’s immediately clear this powertrain isn’t really lacking anything. The extra performance in the Speed would almost certainly make a difference in a head-to-head battle on track, but the reality is you’re never getting close to using all that’s available when driving on the road anyway.
More power is, of course, always appreciated, but at no point while I was driving deep into triple figures down the straight did I think, “y’know, I could really use an extra 75kW and 70Nm right now”.
The crossplane-crank V8, combined with the sports exhaust, provides a true symphony on acceleration that announces its intent to those around, but without ever being too obnoxious or antisocial. It also encourages the use of the right pedal as much as possible.
Despite the noises emanating from the car, the big Bentley doesn’t handle with the same kind of aggressive excitement that is typical of supercars with similar price tags, but it can still hustle through corners better than most would expect.
Having experienced the Continental GT Speed on some tight and winding roads, the active suspension in conjunction with the all-wheel drive, four-wheel steering, torque vectoring and electronic limited-slip differential ensures the circa-2.5-tonne, 2187mm-wide coupe can feel far smaller and more nimble than physics suggests should be possible.
Add those ingredients to the Conti GT and drop it on a racetrack, and the GT S does a mighty job of getting around corners flat and at speed, completely belying its dimensions – and in the process, elevating drivers with even the most minimal of talent and experience.
Even taking into account the Conti’s considerable mass, driving up to 8/10ths – which is plenty fast with this level of performance – didn’t result in any hint of understeer from the front-end. The sheer breadth of the chassis’ capabilities means the limits are far higher than most will comfortably test.
To be sure, those capabilities are higher than I was comfortable testing (particularly when it’s my John Hancock on the liability form).
There’s no doubt the torque vectoring technology is doing a lot of heavy lifting. By feeding torque to individual wheels at each corner, the whole footprint of the car virtually shrinks, making it exceptionally responsive through bends.
It’s also helped by the Performance Active Chassis and Dynamic Ride, which includes active dampers and 48-volt active sway bars, ensuring the vehicle doesn’t pitch or roll in any discernible way – all while maintaining a very comfortable ride over harsher surfaces.
For the longest time, there’s always been a compromise between ride and handling, but the Bentley demonstrates that engineering and technology now have the ability to reduce that compromise to almost nothing. Certainly, in the hands of a proficient driver and within sensible limits.
I also appreciated the steering, both in terms of weight and feedback. It’s not the sharpest by any measure, but the technicians have done well to tune it to be suitable across the broadest of driving scenarios.
Then there are the brakes, which deliver considerable stopping power at speeds that would make the nightly news, yet are still entirely usable at walking pace and aren’t ever grabby, sensitive, or loud. It’s possible to perform a ‘limousine stop’ even after a handful of heavy laps.
But it’s the engine that makes this car. Like the brakes, there seems to be virtually no compromise from the electrified twin-turbo V8, with ample push available to access in pretty much any gear.
In line with the Continental’s character, it isn’t exactly manic performance from the engine – even high in the rev range – and it feels more like a constant firehose of power and torque, ready to tap into with a squeeze of the throttle.
With the exception of cars like the Hyundai i20 N and Toyota GR Yaris, the British coupe is a lot like other modern turbocharged vehicles, in that the turbos are barely noticeable as they come on boost and force compressed air into each of the eight cylinders. From a standstill, there’s just a crescendo of sound and the seat pushing into your back.
The power differential between the GT S and the Speed wasn’t really obvious. We would probably need more back-to-back time in both and in a variety of environments to really understand the nuances, but it’s not night-and-day.
As with the steering, the automatic isn’t the sharpest and nor is it the most state-of-the-art dual-clutch transmission we’ve ever used, but it’s smooth when driving slowly and relatively fast and responsive when not driving slowly.
The GT S is like a stadium-worthy rock band. Its V8 is absolutely the star of the show, but it wouldn’t mean much if the other parts weren’t performing at the highest levels and giving it the opportunity to shine.
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What do you get?
The Bentley Continental GT S naturally comes with a very long list of standard equipment, and an even longer list of options.
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 comparison tool
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 comparison tool
How much does the Bentley Continental GT S cost to run?
The Continental GT S is backed by a relatively short three-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty from Bentley, and five years of scheduled servicing 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 |
To see how the Bentley Continental lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
CarExpert’s Take on the Bentley Continental GT S
As you would expect, the Bentley Continental GT S comes off as a hugely capable grand tourer that won’t embarrass itself alongside other exotic performance cars on the track.
The Continental GT S offers oodles of power, plus the ability to commute in electric mode – giving owners a near-silent, luxury electric car during the week, as well as a quasi-supercar on weekends for the mountain pass, or a thing to eat up the miles when crossing the country.
It may not be as exciting or evocative as the Speed, with which it shares much, but there’s certainly an argument for it being the pick of the Conti GT lineup.
While its horsepower figures and road presence suggest this would be an intimidating experience, that’s not the case at all.
Its breadth of capability is as wide as the car itself, but the GT S really feels as if it would excel on long road trips and roads with high-speed sweeping bends – as well as on the daily commute to the office.
Given our time with the GT S was limited, and constrained to the racetrack, we’re certainly looking forward to exercising those capabilities on the road – and confirming whether it really is the sweet spot in the Bentley range.
For buyers who are happy to save $50,000 and sacrifice some numbers on paper, and who prefer to have their day soundtracked by a sonorous V8, the Bentley Continental GT S delivers on all fronts.
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