Bentley Builds the First Fourth-Generation Continental GT for W.O. Bentley’s Birthday
Fresh from its reveal over the summer, and its unusual speed record, the fourth-generation Bentley Continental GT has officially entered production, with the first car completed in time for company founder W.O. Bentley’s 136th birthday.
The first model off the production line was in fact made in the exact same specification as the vehicle which set the unofficial, 208mph record for the fastest speed driven “underwater”. This was actually set through the nine-mile long Ryfylketunnelen, underneath the Horgefjord in Norway.
Finished in an exterior colour of Tourmaline Green — a modern finish inspired by the original Bentley Green — the first example of the new V8 hybrid Continental GT is the Speed variant and also sports a Gravity Grey interior, featuring 3D leather textures, with Mandarin accents.
With the W12 engine now retired, the Continental GT is equipped with the new powerplant at the heart of the brand’s offerings. That’s a twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine supplemented by a 187hp electric motor, for a combined power output of 771hp — the most powerful road car engine in Bentley’s history. It also has a 50-mile range in electric-only mode, at speeds of up to 87mph.
Hand-built at Bentley’s “Dream Factory” in Crewe, the team at Bentley was able to finish the vehicle in time for a special anniversary: Walter Owen Bentley’s 136th birthday, on September 16.
The car is set to have quite an interesting life, as it’s destined for the manufacturer’s press fleet. Once its duty is done there, it will head to the Heritage Collection, joining around 40 other vehicles in a fleet that stretches back to the 1919 EXP2.
Customer vehicle production is now underway too, with up to 46 billion possible standard configurations for the Continental GT through the options list, and of course further, bespoke personalisation is also available.