Bentley Continental Convertible (2024 - ) review

Prices are high, as they should be for a Bentley. What’s the point in having one if everyone can afford it? But the world shows no sign of spending less on its luxury cars, indeed, if anything the money being spent on bespoke craftsmanship is higher than ever. Also, this Hybrid wears a Speed badge, normally reserved with the higher trim level, so perhaps there’s an entry-level petrol V8 coming. There’s certainly an all-electric model in the pipeline for 2026. However, unlike most supercars, the Continental GT offers some value for money, with four seats, four-wheel drive and a convertible option. And now, for the first time, real electric motoring, in the form of a plug-in hybrid with up to 50 miles of range, which means for those doing mainly local trips, electric-only driving all week is eminently possible, and very cheap. It also means Bentley can quote a low CO2 output, allowing for lower VED/road tax and potential company car savings.

Bentley looks after its customers, and being part of the wider VW group means it shares tried and tested technology like switchgear and infotainment systems with big brands like Audi. The air-con system and electric systems are new however, so we shall see. A warning, too, that the costs of parts are eye-watering and even rich people don’t like feeling ripped off.

Four-wheel drive and the addition of four-wheel steering give drivers much peace of mind. There’s an awful lot of power going through the car, with a weight bias towards the rear wheels, so caution is still advised. Also, with the roof up you get the usual thick, rear-quarter blind spot over your shoulder when merging at junctions or overtaking on the motorway. Naturally Bentley offers Audi’s menu of safety systems and, like in an Audi, the first thing you’ll be doing every time you start the car is turning off the awful lane-departure warning system, which otherwise spends its whole time dragging you away from an imaginary centre line it thinks you’re about to stray over.

GT stands for “grand tourer” and Bentley offers - we’re gonna say it - the best luxury grand touring experience you’ll find. The levels of refinement are exemplary, from the lack of road- and wind-noise, to the absence of disturbance from the ride, which is ultra-smooth. All of which is made even more special in electric mode, when a sultry silence wraps itself round the car like a cashmere blanket. You get lots of leg room in the front, and we even squeezed two teenagers in the back for a half-hour journey. The boot was already small, though, and this is now even worse due to the intrusion of the hybrid battery pack. If you keep the pointless wind deflector in there too, and the charging lead, you’ll struggle to squeeze a handbag in. But it feels naive to complain about boot space in something so beautiful and extraordinary in every other way.

Supercar brands have, traditionally, relied on the sheer power, handling and rarity to sell their cars, with little thought for entertainment systems, sat-navs, music systems and more. But that doesn’t wash with customers any more, and with the advent of less charismatic electric powertrains, drivers will be looking for thrills elsewhere and with the tech and toys. With that in mind, it doesn’t feel that Bentley is up to speed, so to speak, which is disappointing. Maybe it’s saving its best for the pure electric version. So, in this Conti, you get the ageing Audi screen displays and graphics where everything is black, orange and white and nothing is beautiful or special. Other than the rotating dash, carried over from previous models, which spins between a blank fascia, three analogue dials and digital screen. You get prettier, more special graphics in a Peugeot these days.

Magnificent. Electric driving suits luxury cars more than any other given the serenity of the uninterrupted power delivery, coupled with its silence, enhances the tranquility inside the car. And for those who still love the boom of Bentley when the V8 motor does kick in it does so with a glorious tone. It’s also… fast. You get that shove of torque off the start line from the battery, plus the engine’s power, which together give you 771 horsepower to play with. That’s enough for anyone on public roads. And despite the four-wheel drive and SUV-like 2.4-tonne weight the car dances about on the road like something half its size, and pirouettes its way to 62mph in 3.2 seconds. A tree hugger this car is not. But, should you charge by night at home and trundle round by day on electric power around town, you will at least be on the right track.