Photo: Stefan Baldauf / Robert Kah
When we drove the Bentley Continental GT V8, we found a better package than the W12, but in the auto world there’s always room for improvement, which is why Bentley is now launching the V8S for both the GT and the GTC.
It all starts with the Audi-collaboration twin-turbo 4.0-liter unit, which gets an extra 21 HP and 20 Nm (15 lb-ft) of torque, which means you can now control 521 HP and 680 Nm (502 lb-ft). The boost may not seem all that big, but then again the same can be said about the distance to the Continental GT W12. What’s more, the engineers claim that they managed to achieve the same efficiency.
Perhaps more importantly, the suspension now sits 10 mm (0.39 inches) lower, while the spring rates are considerably stiffer (45 percent up front and 33 percent at the back). The adaptive dampers have been biased towards handling (read: stiffened), while the anti-roll bars and the electronics have also been played with - this thing should be pretty good with evading understeer.
As you could’ve expected, you need a really trained eye to tell the difference between the Continental GT / GTC V8 and the new S models. The front and rear fascias sport minor differences, while the standard trim includes dedicated 20-inch wheels.
Perhaps more importantly, the suspension now sits 10 mm (0.39 inches) lower, while the spring rates are considerably stiffer (45 percent up front and 33 percent at the back). The adaptive dampers have been biased towards handling (read: stiffened), while the anti-roll bars and the electronics have also been played with - this thing should be pretty good with evading understeer.
As you could’ve expected, you need a really trained eye to tell the difference between the Continental GT / GTC V8 and the new S models. The front and rear fascias sport minor differences, while the standard trim includes dedicated 20-inch wheels.
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