2026 Bentley Continental GT S: Evaluate

A correct chassis may help alleviate any potential powertrain limitations. It’s how we get issues like slow-car-fast—in any other case underpowered automobiles that overperform within the chassis division. It’s additionally the key to the greatness that’s any GTS-badged Porsche product—top-tier chassis bits pair completely with lower-tier powertrains.

Bentley understands this idea, too. The British automaker has its personal tackle the components; you simply want so as to add an area between GT and S. That’s the way you wind up with a powerful machine just like the 2026 Bentley Continental GT S.

It needs to be mentioned that this isn’t a case of “slow-car-fast”—fairly the other. This Continental GT S packs 671 horsepower and 686 pound-feet of torque. It simply so occurs that that is the powertrain start line of the Continental vary.

The massive information right here is that the lavish two-door coupe (or convertible) has gone hybrid. Giant, heavy, luxurious machines are the right place to pack on the electrified kilos. This Bentley is not any exception. An 188-hp electrical motor attracts energy from a 25.9-kilowatt-hour battery pack, delivering as much as 50 miles of pure-electric driving. Good for silently pulling away from the dock the place your yacht is moored.

As soon as away, swap the drive mode selector to Sport and permit the V8 to burble to life. The dual-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 produces 512 hp. There’s an eight-speed gearbox to meter out the ability to all 4 wheels.

Keep in mind, although, this can be a GT S mannequin. There’s chassis magic at play, and Bentley brings down a number of technical goodies often reserved for the Pace and Mulliner fashions.

Photograph by: Jeff Glucker | Motor1

You’ll discover an electronically limited-slip differential out again, because the all-wheel-drive system can vector torque as wanted. In actual fact, the Continental GT S means that you can ship one hundred pc of the accessible torque to simply the rear wheels. If you wish to drive your luxurious grand tourer like a correct tire-shredding hooligan, Bentley will allow you to.

Maintain traction on whereas powering by means of the twisties, and the GT S rewards your efforts. The rear-axle steering system helps cut back your steering effort, Dynamic Trip retains your cornering comparatively flat, and the twin-valve dampers preserve rebound and compression in fixed verify.

Photographs by: Jeff Glucker | Motor1

Photographs by: Jeff Glucker | Motor1

My solely flat be aware, so far as the driving dynamics go, falls to the braking system. Since we’re coping with a hybrid powertrain, you may have a braking setup that recovers vitality every time attainable. The preliminary press of the brake pedal is a bit limp, particularly contemplating the heft you might want to haul in. When you press the pedal deeper, the automobile will reply, however I’d actually like a bit extra preliminary chew.

Whatever the trim, a Continental sits as a real stunner on the road. That is true for each the coupe and convertible variations, however the GT S provides a number of touches to take issues up a notch. There are darkish trim parts on the outside, together with the S badge on the fender. Precision headlights are normal equipment, as are the blacked-out 22-inch wheels.

Photograph by: Jeff Glucker | Motor1

Slide inside, and also you’ll discover an ordinary color-split design contrasted with dark-toned chrome trim. One of the best piece of equipment on the within, nonetheless, is the middle show, which you’ll be able to disguise away completely with the press of the ‘Display screen’ button. Flip the automobile on, and what was as soon as a clean piece of wooden or metallic trim spins round to disclose a crisp show for nav, infotainment, and Apple CarPlay. 

The one miss inside is the driving force show behind the steering wheel. The show itself works completely advantageous and is simple to learn, however there’s one thing that feels off about digital gauges in a automobile with a toe set again within the analog world. Bentley would do properly to face out right here with correct analog gauges designed with the identical care as a high-end watch.

There’s already a pleasant analog clock and people aforementioned central gauges. Pairing all of that with fantastically machined or hand-made analog gauges would enormously improve the inside expertise.

2026 Bentley Continental GT S Verdict

Photograph by: Jeff Glucker | Motor1

The Bentley Continental GT has lengthy been the ultra-luxury chariot of alternative for many who nonetheless recognize driving dynamics. You’ve gotten a car with super on-road presence, a gloriously luxurious inside area that received’t tire you on lengthy treks, and a powertrain that delivers on its burbly boisterous guarantees.

Including higher trim chassis parts to the lower-tier powertrain is a components that works splendidly right here. Similar to the Porsche GTS fashions, the Continental GT S serves up surprisingly wonderful driving dynamics in a stunning package deal. However there’s no query it’s going to price you severe dough to play on this area.

The Continental GT S coupe begins at $296,150, whereas the convertible sits up at $325,250 to begin. This GT S arrives as an costly technique to stability out an already sensible lineup, nevertheless it does so fairly rattling properly.