Bentley Continental GT S (2023) Review

By 2030, all Bentleys will be electric. However, there are no electric motors in the car you are looking at. The Continental GT S is still very old school, and perhaps we should see it as a sort of final blow before electrification begins in the Conti series.

The GT S claims to be a sportier version, although it is less powerful – additional assertiveness should come from some modifications and additions in the detailed level. For example, the sports exhaust is standard ‘boost V8’. Most of the shiny chrome has been replaced with black. There are new 22-inch wheels, which feature red brake calipers.

What else is special about this Conti?

And of course there are various badges, including on the dashboard and seats, that tell you that you are staying in something very, very special. Not that you need it: as soon as your index finger finds the start button, the first whine of the revs already shows that this is a Bentley with a more dynamic state of mind.

If you then set the multi-mode dial to Sport – which directs the eight-speed automatic transmission to a sporty shift pattern, with upshifts and downshifts – you’re treated to pops, pops and rumbles from the exhaust when release the accelerator pedal or shift down. That louder sound and suede upholstery may give you the idea that the rest of the car is also sporty.

Driving a Bentley Continental GT S

There is still, with a fixed rate Power Driving, no other changes to the suspension. It drives as well as any other Bentley. In terms of handling, we have always found the V8 to be the best option, better than the fantastic version too with twelve cylinders. Because that little bit of weight on the front axle – the V8 weighs just a little more than the W12 – it keeps down well within the limits and that makes this device more interesting to get out and about.

Bentley Continental GT S driving side by side in Monaco

The time when Bentley made cars that were best – or indeed only – suitable for zipping quietly down the road is behind us, and the Continental and Flying Spur are the most versatile cars in the current range. (That makes sense, because the only other model besides those two is the Bentayga, and it’s not very powerful.)

Not the best Bentley to end up with

But if you somehow manage to get your name on the W12 order list (there seems to be a waiting list), then the latest Continental GT speedster – which only comes with the iconic six-litre W12 – could be a more viable option . firing that final salute. If only because the model comes with four-wheel steering and an electronic differential.

If you didn’t place the order in time, don’t worry, because this Bentley Continental GT S offers almost a lot of fun, and it can also give you a glimpse of what Bentley has in store for the future.

Because if the ladies and gentlemen of brand engineers can control something that is so heavy, but guide it with so much clarity and precision, then we can worry less about the full future of the electronics company. It turns out that it is in good hands.