Bentley to Debut Continental GT With V8 Engine in Detroit

We already know that Bentley has big plans with the new turbocharged V8, which is going to be used on a number of upcoming S and RS models. The first to debut is expected to be the new S6, which should land in Frankfurt for this year’s edition of the motor show in September. However, Bentley is also very involved with the eight-pot and will unveil a V8-powered Continental just a few months later, in January.

Until the 2012 Detroit debuts and brings with it the arrival of the new engine, Bentley still has to unveil the facelifted version of the GTC convertible, which will sport the usual mix of LEDs, retouched cosmetics and better trim. Right now, all the models in the Continental range feature some versions of the same 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12, but that's going to change next year, according to Consumer Search.

The new 4.0-liter V8 will bring lower emissions and better economy to the famous British brand. Inside sources suggest the lighter engine block will come with an air of sportiness that’s been missing from the two-ton monster. The engineers have also tuned the exhaust to produce a proper growl, so customers won’t miss the W12 bellow. There’s no info on output figures at the moment, but you can be sure the 4.0-liter will be less powerful than the W12, which produces from 567 hp.

The cars that Bentley offers will surely diversify in coming years, as the company plans to introduce coupe and convertible versions of the new Mulsanne, while rumors of an SUV offering have been rampant.

One thing we find lacking from the V8 is that it’s abundant across the market, while a twelve-cylinder with a ‘W’ configuration is as rare as four-leafed clovers.