The Bentley Continental GTSpeed Coupe is on display at the Geneva International Motor Show, Geneva, Switzerland (4/3). REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Luxury carmaker Bentley has signalled the importance of the Chinese market by using the Beijing motor show to unveil its first hybrid concept car, as well as debuting three other models.
Based on Bentley’s £225,000 flagship Mulsanne model, the hybrid system uses both petrol and electric power and can be plugged into the mains to recharge it. The manufacturer claims the system increases the car’s power output by a quarter and cuts emissions by 70pc, as well as allowing the vehicle to drive 30 miles entirely on electric power.
The conventionally-powered Mulsanne has a 6.75 litre twin-turbo V8 engine delivering 505hp that can take the car to 184mph, but consumes fuel at a rate of 16.8mpg and pumps out 393 grams of CO2 per kilometer.
Bentley also used the show to announce that it will introduce a hybrid-powered sports utility vehicle (SUV) in 2017 and that by the end of the decade 90pc of the company’s vehicles will be available as plug-in hybrids.
Three other Bentley cars made their Chinese debut at the show: the Flying Spur V8 sedan, the 206mph Continental GT Speed – the fastest production Bentley so far – and the Continental GT V8 S.
