BENTLEY’S BAD BOYS

FROM 2030, EVERY NEW BENTLEY WILL BE ELECTRIC. We know this because Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark has told us so, and redevelopment of the Pyms Lane site in Crewe is already underway to allow it to build new electric car platforms.

But Hallmark is also realistic when it comes to where the internal combustion engine goes beyond the next decade. ‘Any car sold at the end of the decade will be on the road for 20 or 30 years,’ he says. ‘We have a responsibility to support our customers after any legislation comes into force.’ Which is why Bentley, along with Porsche and Audi, is looking at how synthetic fuels can play their part.

And before Crewe plugs itself into the grid, there’s nearly a decade of decadence to come, led by the spectacular Bacalar (page 124), a return to Pikes Peak (page 126) and, firstly, the return of the GT Speed name to the Continental family…

CONTINENTAL GT SPEED

‘THIS IS NOT A 911 GT2 RS,’ SAYS THE NICE MAN from Bentley. Why, then, are we standing in the pitlane of Silverstone’s Wing complex, waiting our turn at the wheel?

Two reasons. One, certification for new models is taking some time in these post-WLTP