2025 Bentley Continental GTC | PH Review

A 2.6-ton, £222k cabrio might not immediately scream PH, but this is Bentley at its best

Here’s a fun fact: this Bentley Continental GTC, freshly updated in ‘base’ trim with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, weighs less than the old Bentley Azure T. That’s the stonking great four-seat cabrio of the late noughties, whose rear-drive V8 setup looks positively prehistoric in comparison.

Packing fewer pounds than a 5.4m-long drop-top limo is hardly a bold claim to carry, not least when this refreshed GTC still weighs 2,636kg. But maybe it proves that any hysteria about the swelling mass of electrified cars is less warranted when the cars of Crewe have been stocky since, well, forever.

And electrification suits this particular model very well indeed. The plug-in cabrio market remains vanishingly small – the MG Cyberster remains the most notable pure electric example currently on British price lists – but pottering around in this Conti GTC proves it’s a niche with surprising potential. Switch its delightfully knurled drive mode dial to Comfort, keep your throttle inputs subtle, and you’ll enjoy gratifyingly hushed progress and an even greater sensory awakening than the open-top norm. Sights, sounds and smells spill into its opulent cabin completely unabated.

Quietly overtaking V8-powered trucks and station wagons on Bentley’s grand Montanan media event is enough of an awakener to how effective this form of power can be. As they grumble along extracting bafflingly little speed from their presumably vast fuel consumption, you can classily whisper past having popped a few quid on your electricity bill if you’ve plugged in at home.

Not that cut-price energy tariffs will be the utmost priority for Conti GTC customers and their £222,600 soft-top. The Bentley interpretation of ‘base spec’ is somewhat different to everyone else’s; this car is lavish long before you’ve begun exploring ten grand Mulliner paint options (it’s White Sand pictured here), while its performance figures are a little less staggering than the Speed which launched before it. A lightly detuned twin-turbo V8 continues to pair with a 190hp e-motor for 680hp and 686lb ft totals. That’s ample for 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds, 0-100mph in 8.3 seconds, and a 168mph top speed. The WLTP cycle claims 66mpg, 98g/km of CO2, and a combined range of over 500 miles, though the reality will almost certainly be different for most users.

But then the Continental GTC aura is significantly richer than a bunch of on-paper stats portray. For all its abundant tech, this feels as close to the traditional Bentley experience as anything the Brit firm currently makes. Forgoing Speed trim means giving up around 100hp as well as a few degrees of dynamism, but the softer vibe feels more befitting here than in the Coupe. And with four-wheel steer, 48v active anti-roll, and sublime steering weight still present and correct, there are plentiful rewards to be had when you’ve explored the claimed 51 miles of e-range – or got bored of tickling the car along trying to achieve it.

For all its 2.6 tonnes, this thing still handles. Its almost preposterous power – and the fact 85 per cent of it can go to the back axle, not a whole lot less than the Speed – ensures the stability control light can flicker exuberantly with very little provocation. Much like its Flying Spur sibling, it’s an amiable partner should you choose to switch things off and go exploring its balance.

Tech flourishes like its all-wheel steering and regenerative braking are at once purposeful yet subtly integrated; you’ll feel the benefit of their work without the Conti’s character feeling eroded by their presence. You can ebb speed away more subtly into corners before slicing through with a mite of extra agility. All told, you’ll build and sustain a delightfully smooth flow, the vast swell of V8 power latent beneath you.

And with precious few seconds lost to lamenting the old W12. This updated GTC offers the big-hearted, smooth-edged experience you’d want from a Bentley, just with the sensations amped up notably by the potency of its PHEV powertrain. To choose the Speed over the base car must surely come down to willy-waving, the red taillights and subtler demeanour of this mildly more affordable car aligning it closer to the schtick of that grand old Azure T.

Convertibles don't get much classier than this. Whether you’ve got the roof firmly down, air scarf tickling your neck, heated (or ventilated…) seats keeping you cosy and the Toblerone dash rotated into digital-detox mode, or you’ve kept the soft-top in place and dropped all four windows with a single button prod – this is a gorgeous place in which to ‘press on’. One you’ve doubtless curated yourself thanks to the billions of configurations on offer.

Insiders at Bentley say that Crewe’s upcoming EV will be its best car yet, and while it’s likely most PHers won’t be counting down the days to the full reveal of a 5m, near 3-tonne production SUV, it’s reassuring to know that electrification doesn’t just fit the firm’s cars – they absolutely shine with it.

Specification | 2025 Bentley Continental GTC

Engine: 3,996cc twin-turbocharged V8, electric motor, 25.9kWh battery
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 680 combined (519@6,250rpm)
Torque (lb ft): 686 combined (568@2,300-4,500rpm)
0-62mph: 3.9sec
Top speed: 168mph
Weight: 2,636kg
MPG: 66
CO2: 98g/km
Price: from £222,600

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Geoffcapes

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