Bentley is adding yet another member to the Continental GT’s large family. It is called the Bentley Continental GT V8 S, and seeing as the letter ‘S’ in the automotive world stands for ‘Sport’, you know what to expect from this car. The GT S only comes with the V8 engine, in both coupe and convertible versions.
The Bentley Continental GT V8 S models feature a more powerful version of the 4-litre, twin-turbo V8 engine, developing 521 bhp (528 PS / 389 KW) and max torque of 680 Nm (502 lb.ft). The effect this extra oomph has on the performance is negligible.
What’s sets the GT V8 S apart is its agility, and the sharpness of the handling. The immense wight of the Conti GT is kept in check in this model with lowered suspension that features aluminium double-wishbone front and trapezoidal multi-link rear self-levelling air suspension with continuous damping control.
Other changes include a bespoke traction control system, Torsen AWD with 40:60 rear biased split, and a subtle aero kit – consisting of front splitter, side sills and rear diffuser – that also gives the car a unique look. The sport system is also tweaked to make a sportier noise.
The Coupe does 0-60 mph sprint in just 4.3 seconds (0-100 km/h in 4.5s) onto a top speed of 192 mph (309 km/h), while the Convertible does the same in 4.5 seconds (0-100km/h in 4.7s) and a top speed of 191mph (308km/h). The differences between this model, the GT Speed, and the normal version, is measured in tenths of seconds.
In terms of fuel economy, the new GT V8 S coupe returns a combined cycle fuel economy of 26.8 mpg (10.6 l/100km) and CO2 emissions of 246 g/km. The equivalent figures for the convertible are 25.9 mpg (10.9 l/100km) and 254 g/km. The range with a full tank of fuel is about 500 miles or 800 km.
The rest of the car is similar to every other Bentley Continental GT; it’s big, super luxurious, and absolutely lovely to be in. Deliveries of the new Bentley Continental V8 S start in early 2014.
