Bentley Continental GT V8 at the Detroit Motor Show

The year 2011 saw Bentley’s sales grow by an impressive 37%, the sales figures have given Bentley a good forecast in respect to expanding its market share. In order to do just that Bentley had recently revealed the Continental GT V8. In essence the car is the same as the Continental GT W12 which has been on sale for quite a while now. The difference in the Continental GT V8 is a smaller engine, retuned suspension and reworked aesthetics. As a result the Bentley Continental GT V8 drives better than the W12 model due to the lighter engine up front. 

As for performance the new V8 engine is a 4.0 litre twin turbocharged generating 507PS of power and 660Nm of torque. Mated to an eight speed auto box the V8 GT will hit 0-100 km/h in less than 5 seconds and will have a top speed of 290 km/h. V8 or W12 those are staggering performance figures full stop. 

While the new engine is very powerful it is kinder to the environment. That is the result of minimising energy loss within the engine with the use of low friction bearings, thermal management for energy recovery, low-rolling resistance tyres to an ingenious “hot-side inside” engine design and revising the oil viscosity for smoother operation. The V8 engine is also very clever by running on four cylinders under partial throttle in the city, open the taps and all eight cylinders come into play to deliver a seamless surge of power all the way to the top. The V8 cars will feature the same all-wheel drive system with 40:60 front and rear power distribution. 

The new engine features some very expensive technology that is optional. The end result is performance which is similar to the larger displacement W12 models. However, the cost of all that technology takes the price tag of the Continental GT V8 dangerously close to the Continental GT W12. There is another upside to the Continental GT V8 though, the new V8 engine is more economical which means fewer stops at petrol pumps. 

The V8 models can be distinguished from the V12 models by the black gloss matrix grille with chrome frame and centre bar. The cars also get a red enamel Bentley ‘B’ badge and a black matrix three-segment lower front bumper divided by distinct body coloured strakes. At the back the cars get two sets of twin tail pipes, a dark lower valance and an enamel red ‘B’ badge. 20 inch alloys are standard with 21 inch rims as optional with Diamond Black (exclusive to the Continental GT) or Diamond Silver finishing. 

Both cars will be slotted under the 6.0 litre W12 models and will be built in Bentley’s factory at Crewe, England. 

While the Continental GT V8 is a good way for Bentley to ramp up sales figures at present, they are not the type of car maker to kill off an icon. The W12 engine has been so successful that Bentley has become the largest producer of 12 cylinder engines.  Bentley will continue selling the Continental GT W12 side by side but will incorporate all the clever technology from the new V8 engine into the W12 in the near future. And then the W12 will once again rise as the undisputed flagship model in the Continental line-up.