Latest news with #ContinentalGT
The Sun
4 days ago
- Automotive
- The Sun
Bentley unveils fourth-generation Continental GT Speed in Malaysia
BENTLEY Kuala Lumpur has officially unveiled the fourth-generation Continental GT Speed, ushering in a bold new chapter in the marque's storied 21-year journey of producing luxurious, high-performance grand tourers. This latest iteration stands as the most technologically advanced and visually transformative Continental GT to date, blending thrilling supercar performance with refined craftsmanship and everyday usability. Drawing inspiration from Bentley's coachbuilt masterpieces such as the Bacalar and Batur, the new Continental GT Speed introduces the most dramatic design overhaul in two decades. The sleek, muscular silhouette now features single front headlamps—a stylistic nod to Bentley models of the 1950s. The front fascia has been reimagined with integrated, body-coloured aerodynamic elements, giving it a cleaner and more assertive stance. At the rear, the grand tourer now boasts wider taillight graphics, a reprofiled bumper, and a fixed aerodynamic boot lid, which eliminates the need for a deployable spoiler. Enhancing its road presence are newly designed 22-inch alloy wheels, inspired by the powerful stance of a tiger. These are available in various finishes, including gloss black, silver, and a dark tint with polished details, further underlining the car's dynamic yet elegant character. Beneath its striking exterior lies the heart of a technological revolution. The fourth-generation GT Speed debuts Bentley's new Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain, pairing a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine (producing 600 PS and 800 Nm of torque) with a 190 PS electric motor. Together, they deliver a formidable 782 PS and 1,000 Nm of torque–translating to an 11% increase in torque and a 19% boost in power compared to the previous W12-powered GT Speed. This electrified powertrain propels the car from 0 to 100 km/h in a mere 3.2 seconds, with a top speed of 335 km/h. The 25.9 kWh battery, positioned behind the rear axle for optimal weight distribution (49:51 rear bias), enables an electric-only range of 81 km. Combined, the car achieves an impressive total range of 859 km, making it not only blisteringly fast but also remarkably efficient. Power delivery is handled by an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, while traction and handling are bolstered by an electronic limited-slip differential, active torque vectoring, and regenerative braking, ensuring confident performance in all conditions. The new Continental GT Speed also marks the debut of Bentley's Performance Active Chassis system. This includes dual-chamber air springs and twin-valve dampers that balance ride comfort with dynamic control. The 48-volt Bentley Dynamic Ride system actively counteracts body roll during spirited driving, offering exceptional flat cornering capabilities. An advanced Electronic Stability Control system, now featuring a Dynamic mode, enables controlled oversteer for those seeking a more engaging driving experience. Meanwhile, active all-wheel drive and the eLSD further refine agility and stability. Bentley's revised damper control ECU now manages compression and rebound independently, delivering enhanced ride quality and body control across all drive modes—be it Comfort, Bentley, or Sport. Inside, Bentley continues to redefine automotive luxury. The cabin is adorned with intricate three-dimensional leather surfaces, newly designed quilted upholstery, and dark chrome accents. State-of-the-art wellness seating and air ionisation technology provide a serene, health-conscious environment for occupants. The driver and passengers benefit from an advanced infotainment system backed by a 400V electrical architecture, offering seamless connectivity and enhanced digital functionality, all while maintaining the tactile elegance Bentley is renowned for. Unlike many modern hybrids, the GT Speed's V8 soundtrack remains authentic and mechanical, eschewing artificial enhancements. The acoustic signature evolves naturally with engine speed, offering an emotional and immersive driving experience that reflects the spirit of true grand touring. Lighting technology has also received a major update. The new single-lens matrix LED headlamps house 120 individually controlled LEDs, offering adaptive high beam functionality and a crystal-inspired visual effect. At the rear, the 3D diamond-patterned taillights emit a distinctive molten lava glow, adding a layer of visual drama and modern sophistication to the vehicle's rear profile. With the arrival of the fourth-generation Continental GT Speed, Bentley has once again reasserted its position at the pinnacle of the grand tourer segment. The model not only sets a new benchmark in luxury and performance but also signifies the brand's commitment to innovation, sustainability, and uncompromised driving pleasure.
Motor Trend
07-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
Are You Sick of Giant Touchscreens Taking Over Car Interiors?
Over the past decade or so, the rise of touchscreen devices—your smartphones, tablets, and their ilk—has been amazing to watch. In less than a generation's time, they've gone from digital novelty cradled by the tech elite to daily necessity required for everyday existence. As they've been rapidly taking over our lives, they've just as quickly been taking over the interiors of our cars. What once was the territory of endless knobs and buttons is now the domain of the capacitive touch display. In some, they literally span door to door in a periphery-dominating pixel flex. This game of digital one-upmanship is driven by a sizeable portion of modern buyers who want more pixels and more screens, a generation that sees physical buttons as vestigial signs of simpler times. But lately, a growing and increasingly vocal number of car shoppers are rising up to say enough, and even safety organizations are getting behind the call for physical controls. Is there a solution? Can we maintain the progress of in-car technology but dial down the overwhelming presence of screens? Or are display-averse shoppers stuck driving the same old rides until the end of time? There's reason for optimism, and here are some of the technologies giving us hope. Hidden Screens Sit yourself inside a Bentley Continental GT, and you'll immediately notice the sumptuous leather upholstery as it cradles your backside. The plush carpet is so thick, you'll want to take off your shoes, and the woodgrain trim just has to be the real thing. What you probably won't notice, though, is a giant touchscreen in your face. That's because the Continental GT swings its touchscreen out of view when the vehicle is off. And, if you like, it can disappear while you're driving, too. While various manufacturers have been iterating on this concept for years, we're seeing something of a resurgence of interest in hidden displays. The 277-mph Bugatti Tourbillon, for example, features an infotainment display that only appears when needed. The stealthy displays of tomorrow's cars might even be hidden in plain sight. Continental has demonstrated a technology it calls "In2Visible," which effectively enables displays that blend into the dashboard and completely disappear when not needed. They can even shine through a simulated woodgrain surface. Look for this tech to appear in high-end road cars soon, but there's another display-free solution coming soon to something far more attainable. Bring Your Own Devices You've probably heard of BYOB parties, where whatever beer you'll be drinking is whatever beer you were bringing. There's a similar development on the technology side called BYOD: Bring Your Own Device. BYOD has traditionally referred to technologies that allow employees at corporations and the like to securely access company data on private devices. The idea is that instead of having one phone for work and a second for personal use, you can have one phone that does both. Now, thanks to Slate, we're seeing the same concept applied to cars. The Slate is the $27,000, two-passenger truck that promises to reboot what we think a modern car should be. The company has pared everything down to the bare essentials, creating a little truck that not only doesn't have a touchscreen—it doesn't even have a sound system. Yes, there's a screen in the Slate, but it's just a little thing behind the steering wheel, forming the gauge cluster and acting as the government-mandated rearview display. If you want more, you'll need to connect your phone or tablet and mount it on the dashboard yourself. That means you can have as large or as small a display as you prefer, and you can then mount a Bluetooth speaker or the like in your car to listen to some tunes while driving. It's all very DIY and basic but in keeping with the Slate's concept. The best part of a BYOD-style implementation? If you're feeling like a little distraction-free motoring and just want to enjoy the drive, you can pop that phone back into your pocket. Next-Gen Head-Up Displays The humble head-up display has been beaming information back at you off of the windshield since the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Edition pioneered the tech in 1988. Since then, HUDs have gotten bigger, brighter, and far more packed with information, but fundamentally, they've always done the same basic thing. That's about to change with a new generation of HUDs that will span the entire windshield and, eventually, cover it from top to bottom. With its upcoming Neue Klasse models, BMW will be the first to bring something like this to market. Neue Klasse will be the foundation for the company's next-generation EVs, and while the new electric drivetrain is the big story, the Panoramic iDrive system that dominates the interior is certainly worth getting excited about. It'll run from pillar to pillar, providing a customizable view of everything from speed and navigation information to media playback and even details about your next destination. But it won't be the vehicle's only display device. No, BMW isn't getting rid of the screen on the dashboard for Neue Klasse. The iDrive Panoramic system is augmented by a 17.9-inch, rhomboid-shaped display that stands out from the dashboard in the conventional place. Still, it's easy to imagine a future where the on-dash display is no longer needed. Screens on Your Face Both Apple and Meta (Facebook's parent company) have spent billions of dollars researching ways to get better and brighter displays that are small and light enough to mount onto goggles you can wear. The results—Vision Pro from Apple and the latest Meta Quest—are truly impressive, able to virtually teleport you away to a foreign land or bring you back to reality at the touch of a button. Video gaming is still far and away the most promising application, but plenty of auto manufacturers have ideas about taking this technology to the road. Audi was one of the first, partnering with Holoride for a back-seat solution intended to keep your kids content in their own little virtual world. Yes, if your first thought was how violently ill you'd get wearing a headset like this in a moving car, you're not alone, but someone's come up with a fix. Holoride relies on a virtual horizon and other in-game visual cues to give your brain an indicator of what's happening outside in the real world. Elements in the games shift and move along with the motion of the car, keeping your stomach settled without ruining the impression that you're somewhere else. The tech works remarkably well. But it's going to take something more advanced to bring that technology to the front seats and eventually eliminate in-car displays. BMW and Mini have shown off mixed-reality solutions, using the integrated cameras in a high-end Varjo headset to add virtual elements on top of a view of the real world. The effect is compelling, and there's potential here, but we're still a long way from technology like this being proven safe to wear while you're driving. At least until we get cars that can properly drive themselves. (No, your Tesla doesn't count.) Retinal Projection The final step in this evolution of in-car displays, the technology that could finally banish all screens from your interior forever, might just be something called retinal homing. It's a form of retinal projection, which uses various technologies to paint images directly onto the retina of your eyes. Retinal projection is a real technology today, and it works, but modern implementations often require that you wear bulky glasses on your face, which fully block or at least partially obscure your view. That's not ideal when you're driving a car. Retinal homing is another evolution of this technology, where those laser projectors could track your eyes in real time and do so from some distance. Eventually, this could mean you wouldn't need to look through a lens or stare into a fixed projector to see free-floating, three-dimensional images. A 2023 concept created by researchers at the University of Tokyo used a robotic arm that tracked the position of a user's eyes. The arm carried dual laser projectors and bounced the projected light from a retroreflective surface onto the user's retina. The result? A stereoscopic, holographic image without the headgear. This technology is far from reality, and, as far as we know, nobody has yet discussed its use in an automotive application. But, if perfected, it could allow you to have all the digital information you could ever desire without a single screen in sight.
IOL News
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Fastest Bentley ever: new Continental GT Speed docks in South Africa
When it comes to the new-generation Continental GT, Bentley is bringing out the big guns first. The local importer pulled the covers off the new Continental GT Speed in Johannesburg recently, as this will be the first version of the new model series to grace local shores. The order books are now open, with Bentley South Africa announcing a starting price of R6,534,000 for the Coupe and R7,083,000 for the GTC open-top variant. The 'regular' Continental GT models are expected to make landfall towards the end of the third quarter of 2025, the importer said. So what can buyers expect from the new flagship model? A great deal of speed, as its name implies. The new Conti GT Speed is officially the fastest road-going Bentley ever created. The new hybrid system boasts 575kW of power. It features an all-new 'Ultra Performance Hybrid' drivetrain, that pairs a 4.0-litre V8 engine with an electric motor for system outputs of 575kW and 1,000Nm, meaning it has 19% more power and 11% more torque than the previous version. That, they say, is enough to get Crewe's missile from standstill to 100km/h in 3.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 335km/h. Power goes to all four wheels through an eight-speed dual clutch gearbox and electronic limited slip differential. With this being a plug-in hybrid, a 25.9 kWh battery is mounted behind the rear axle to allow an all-electric range of up to 81km. The battery's positioning helps the vehicle to achieve a practically perfect, slightly rear-biased weight distribution of 49:51. Speaking of balance and handling the Performance Active Chassis includes torque vectoring front to rear as well as across the axles, while a new Bentley Dynamic Ride active anti roll system is in place to minimise body roll. Furthermore, the vehicle is fitted with new dual valve dampers and dual chamber air springs, which enables more sophisticated tuning options. The cabin features a screen that rotates between analogue and digital. Inside, buyers can expect luxurious sculpted quilting for the seats and doors as well as 20-way adjustable seats and a choice of three audio systems, headlined by an 18-speaker, 2,200W Naim system with Active Bass Transducers built into the front seats.
TimesLIVE
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
New Bentley Continental GT hybrid arrives in South Africa
Laminated acoustic glass reduces exterior noise, but the start bark and delicious idle of the new, plug-in hybrid engine are loudly audible. A 4.0 l twin-turbo V8 in conjunction with a 140kW electric motor and a 25.9kWh battery gives the new Continental GT a total system output of 575kW and 1,000Nm, distributed to all the wheels. It's said to sprint from 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 335km/h. The battery can be charged in three hours from dedicated EV infrastructure, while an EV mode allows silent travel up to 160km/h and an 80km driving range. New-generation chassis technology — including active torque vectoring, four-wheel steering, an electronic limited slip differential, 48V active anti-roll control and dual-valve dampers — ensures grand touring comfort or sporty driving prowess. The new Bentley Continental GT is priced at R5,269,000 and comes with a three-year/100,000km warranty.
ArabGT
09-04-2025
- Automotive
- ArabGT
Bentley's 2025 Models Debut a New Engine Option with Lower Horsepower
For 2025, Bentley is introducing a new powertrain option for its Continental GT and Flying Spur models—one that delivers slightly less power but retains the brand's signature performance and luxury. The new configuration, called the Performance Hybrid, combines a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 with a single electric motor, offering a total output of 671 horsepower. This places it below the 771 hp produced by Bentley's Speed variants but still delivers more than enough for a commanding driving experience. Unlike most automotive updates that add more power, Bentley's latest move appears to prioritize efficiency, balance, and possibly emissions compliance. The move also gives customers more flexibility, especially if they find the responsiveness of a 771-horsepower grand tourer a bit excessive. The standard Speed versions produce 592 hp from the internal combustion engine and an additional 187 hp from the electric motor, for a combined 771 hp and 800 Nm of torque. In the new Performance Hybrid, the V8's output is reduced to 512 hp, while electric power remains the same, bringing total torque down slightly to 770 Nm. The 25.9-kWh battery is unchanged, offering the same hybrid architecture with revised tuning. Despite the reduction in power, performance figures remain impressive. The 2025 Continental GT coupe accelerates from 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 3.5 seconds, while the convertible version completes the same sprint in 3.8 seconds—roughly half a second slower than the Speed version. The Flying Spur, also powered by the new hybrid setup, matches the convertible's 3.8-second figure. Alongside the slightly detuned output, the hybrid system offers improved all-electric range. Bentley estimates that the Continental GT hardtop will manage up to 85 km of electric-only driving, while the convertible reaches around 82 km. The Flying Spur follows closely with an estimated 80 km range. These improvements are modest but notable, especially for buyers looking to reduce fuel usage during short-distance driving. The new hybrid powertrain will be available in Standard and Azure trims. The more performance-focused Speed and ultra-luxury Mulliner variants will continue to use the more powerful Ultra Performance system. Azure trims will stand out visually, featuring brighter grille finishes, unique wheels, exclusive badging, and refined design touches that distinguish them from the rest of the lineup. Although Bentley hasn't officially linked the introduction of the lower-output hybrid to emissions regulations, the timing and specifications suggest the move is aimed at meeting European emissions standards. Regardless, Bentley maintains that the Performance Hybrid variants are still quicker than the outgoing Speed models from the previous generation—a testament to the efficiency gains and technical refinement behind the update. Pricing for the 2025 Continental GT with the new powertrain starts at $265,900 (SAR 997,125), with orders now open. Details for the Flying Spur's pricing and availability are expected to follow soon.
