Some cars benefit from a little colour. The new Bentley Continental GT S, finished in Kingfisher Blue, makes a particularly good case for it.
Bentley’s grand tourer has always occupied a space between performance and refinement. The Continental GT S brings a more sporting character to that familiar formula, with styling influenced by Mulliner’s limited-run Supersports Design Theme. Where the Supersports is an altogether rarer proposition, the GT S offers its own interpretation of the more focused Continental.
Kingfisher Blue does much of the work here. The colour brings the contours of the body into focus, shifting with the light and giving the Continental GT S a different character from the more familiar darker finishes. Bentley’s Blackline Specification adds a considered contrast: gloss-black grilles, darkened badging, black mirror caps and a dark rear diffuser. The effect is less about ornament than proportion, allowing the car’s shape to take centre stage.
The 22-inch ten-swept-spoke wheels are available in several finishes, including gloss black with bright-machined faces or entirely in black. Dark-tint lighting and sports exhaust finishers complete the look without overwhelming it.
Inside, the same restraint continues. A two-tone upholstery scheme and fluted seats distinguish the GT S, while Dinamica technical fabric brings a softer, more tactile finish to the steering wheel, gear lever, seats and door inserts. Piano Black veneer is standard, with carbon fibre and other finishes available for those who prefer a different expression. It is a cabin that balances Bentley’s familiar attention to materials with a more distinctly sporting atmosphere.
The powertrain is a plug-in hybrid pairing a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 with an electric motor. Together, they produce a substantial 680 PS, enough to propel the Continental GT S from 0–60 mph in a claimed 3.3 seconds, with a top speed of 190 mph.
There is, of course, the familiar appeal of a V8, with its deep exhaust note and considerable reserves of power. But the hybrid system introduces another side to the car. Electric-only driving offers a quieter way through town or a discreet arrival late at night, without changing the character of the Continental as a long-distance grand tourer.
The GT S also draws on chassis technology from the Continental GT Speed, bringing additional composure and agility to its performance brief. It is a useful reminder that the S designation is about more than appearance, even when the colour is doing such a convincing job.
The Continental GT S remains a Bentley in the fullest sense: beautifully finished, capable of covering serious distances and equally comfortable making the everyday drive feel like an occasion. In Kingfisher Blue, it simply has a little more personality.
On the Saint Lawrence River.
Travel with Ease
