Bentley Continental GT, Flying Spur now available in V8 guise
What's the story
Bentley has introduced a plug-in hybrid V8 powertrain for its Continental GT and Flying Spur models. The new "High Performance Hybrid" powertrain is a less powerful alternative to the 771hp Ultra Performance setup. However, it still offers an impressive output of 671hp of power and 930Nm of torque, which is good enough to deliver performance figures similar to some extreme sports cars on sale today.
Performance
Hybrid powertrain outperforms W12 mill
The new hybrid powertrain beats the previous generation of W12 cars. Bentley says the Continental GT coupe can go from 0-100km/h in just 3.5 seconds, while the Flying Spur saloon takes a bit longer at 3.9 seconds. These are mind-boggling acceleration times given the cars weigh between 2,500kg and 3,000kg. The powertrain pairs a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine with a gearbox-mounted electric motor and a battery promising around 80km of electric-only range.
Features
Azure trim returns with new generation models
The new powertrain comes in both cars, when paired with the Core and Azure trims. The more powerful High Performance Hybrid setup stays exclusive to Speed and Mulliner variants. The Azure has returned after the launch of the new-generation Conti and Spur last year. It gets a contrasting black grille with chrome surround, bespoke machined 22-inch wheels, black front splitter, as well as Azure branding throughout.
Cost
What about the pricing?
While the Azure coupe version gets a panoramic sunroof, the convertible is available with a neck-warmer for "comfortable roof-down motoring in cooler weather." The starting price of the Continental GT has been slashed to £202,400 (around ₹2.2 crore) in the UK. Bentley is yet to confirm the prices of the new variants of the Flying Spur.