OHLALA SPENT TIME IN THE NEW AND EXCLUSIVE BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT, AN AUTOMOTIVE WORK OF ART THAT ELEVATES YOUR DRIVING EXPERIENCE.
At OHLALA, we pride ourselves on sampling the very best life has to offer. After the successful launch of the new Continental GT Speed First Edition V8 Hybrid in the Kingdom, we gratefully accepted an invitation from Bentley Bahrain to take this work of art out for the day.
We expected great things from this world-renowned brand’s latest release, expectations that were soon exceeded.
EXCEPTIONAL EXTERIOR
The new Bentley Continental GT is a creation of sheer beauty. On first sight, we instantly recognised the love, investment and expertise poured into this car’s creation.
In the GT Speed, the brand’s creators have continued the key design aspects seen through Bentley’s heritage since the iconic R-Type Continental of 1952. However, this fourth-generation Continental delivers an unmistakably bolder design DNA.
Overall, the immaculate exterior bestows the car with a demeanour best described as a resting beast – muscular but relaxed.
Having appreciated several Bentleys in the past, we were surprised by this model’s beautiful face that, for the first time since the 1950s, exhibits single headlamps.
These Matrix LED lamps contain 120 separate LEDS and feature new horizontal deep crystal cut diamond ‘eyebrows,’ along with illuminated lower patterns. We also admired the curve of the vehicle’s elongated bonnet, which creates a strong horizontal line through the car.
At the flanks of this two-door metal beauty, we noted its well-defined haunches and the 22-inch Ten Swept Spoke wheels, signifying its remarkable power.
Many back-end elements have also been redesigned, including the bumper, taillights and exhaust tailpipes – all sporting a more contemporary flair.
The boot lid now incorporates an integrated aerodynamic form, providing all necessary rear downforce without requiring a deployable rear spoiler.
SUPERIOR INTERIOR
As hard as it was to tear our eyes away from the outside, the inside of the GT made us feel as if we were entering another world. Slipping into the interior, we were greeted by peerless craftsmanship.
The redesigned cabin of the 2025 model now ensures complete comfort, luxury and practicality for all those lucky enough to experience one.
This new grand tourer features sculptured quilting, fading perforations and a new quilt embroidery on the seats and doors. Combined with the new Dark Chrome Specification and the Diamond Brushed Aluminium Dark Tint, we endorse this interior as the height of automotive luxury.
One of our favourite interior features was the wellness seating. Coupled with 20-way adjustable seats, the newly introduced optional wellness seating includes Postural Adjust and Auto Climate for the front seats. This ensures the reduction of fatigue and the optimisation of both comfort and support.
“On first sight, we instantly recognised the love, investment “On first sight, we instantly recognised the love, investment”
EXTRAORDINARY TECH & INFOTAINMENT
Soon, it was obvious that this masterwork is not just easy on the eye but contains an array of superior technological features most car owners could only dream of.
The benefits of the electrical architecture found in the latest generation Continental GT deliver a significant step forward in infotainment and driver assistance technology.
We simply adored the innovative Bentley Rotating Display. The three-sided, 12.3-inch high-definition display is controlled via three elegant analogue dials and features an unbroken side of handcrafted veneer. These three sides are selectable at the mere touch of a button.
Later in the day, we noticed the environment display in the driver’s instrument panel that supports and enables driving in semi-assisted mode, providing feedback to the driver on how the car responds to other vehicles. The impressively improved air conditioning system notably increases cabin well-being. It now includes air ionisers, a new particulate matter filter and displays that show air quality inside and outside the vehicle. The system even synchronises with the car’s satellite navigation to improve cabin air quality.
Our test drive model GT housed the optional Naim 2,200 Watt, 18-speaker audio system. Featuring Active Bass Transducers built into the front seats, this transcendent system, with its eight sound modes, ensured this was one of our most mind-blowing audio experiences.
BREATHTAKING POWER & PERFORMANCE
By the time we were ready for the roads, we were in love with the new Bentley GT. We were not, however, fully prepared for what was about to be unleashed.
The new GT Speed, with its 782PS Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain, may be a beauty on the surface, but it is a beast underneath. Packing a 4.0-litre V8 engine that works harmoniously with a 190PS electric motor, this supercharged vehicle generates up to 1,000Nm of torque.
Informed of these statistics, we sat at the start line of our test site, staring straight ahead, a mixture of excitement and fear. Before the pedal even met the floor, we shot forward as if fired from a cannon. The sound of the engine reverberated in our ears and our bodies pressed hard against the supportive seating as we struggled to take a full breath.
The result: we flew from 0-100km/h in a touch over three seconds. It genuinely felt as if we had left our stomachs behind. Never have we felt more relieved to experience a high-performance braking system. This jet on wheels even delivers a top speed of 335km/h, making it the most powerful road-going Bentley ever produced.
The force created by this potent powertrain is dispensed via an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and an electrical limited slip differential to all four wheels. We found this to ensure exceptional power delivery and more than reliable traction, even on sandy surfaces. The system also utilises active torque vectoring from front to rear through a centre differential and precision vectoring across each axle using the brakes.
Another great feature of this hybrid is that it delivers up to 81km of allelectric range. This is complemented by the system’s regenerative braking along with its new charge mode, where the engine drives the wheels and charges the battery at the same time.
OUR VERDICT
It’s a Bentley. Enough said.
For more information, please call Bentley Bahrain on 1745 9111.
@bentleybahrain