Bentley Continental GTC S: Competent, but Confused by Its Own Tech

The Bentley Continental GTC proves that open-air driving suits this generation of the Continental GT exceptionally well.

The plug-in hybrid powertrain gives drivers the choice between the character of a burbling V8 or the quiet serenity of E-Mode.

The test car was equipped with an Akrapovic exhaust that delivers an omnipresent and effervescent dirty woofle sound, contrasting with the silence of gliding about with the roof down.

However, the hybrid powertrain has a frustrating quirk: unless the car is in Sport mode, the engine can oscillate between action and dormancy too frequently when the battery charge is very low.

When pottering down a country road, the combination of no roof and the Akrapovic exhaust makes the V8 startup reports extra-intrusive.

Additionally, the lack of transparency in the regenerative braking and electric-assisted acceleration does not entirely suit a car of this pedigree, feeling slightly overcomplicated compared to the muscular simplicity of previous generations. Despite these quirks, performance is formidable.

The tested Bentley Continental GTC V8 accelerated from 0-60mph in 3.7 seconds (with the 0-62mph sprint claimed at 3.8 seconds), hit 100mph in 8.4 seconds, achieved 30-70mph in 3.0 seconds, and ran the standing quarter-mile in 12.0 seconds at 121.4mph. Top speed is claimed at 191mph.

Braking distances, however, were a little longer than expected, putting heavy demands on the Pirelli P Zero PNCS tyres.

The car required 47.8 metres to stop from 70mph in the dry—10-20% longer than smaller rivals from Porsche, Ferrari, and Aston Martin—while the wet 70-0mph stop took 64.2 metres.

Pricing for the Bentley Continental GTC V8 starts at £235,700, while the price as tested reached £306,469.