As a huge enthusiast of all things Bentley, it’s no surprise that Jay Leno’s garage in Burbank has a section where only Bentley models are exhibited, maintained, and restored close to perfection. The question is, what does television host think about the all-new Conty with the lesser of the two engine options?
At $203,825 before destination charge and taxes, it’s more expensive than the Bentayga utility vehicle. But on the upside, the twin-turbo V8 from Porsche sounds burblier than the smooth yet resourceful twin-turbo W12.
“In the spirit of Bentley's storied history, the Continental GT V8 lives up to bespoke comfort and luxury the marque is known for in a well-balanced package,” said Leno in the description of the YouTube video. Considering the countless options and customizations available, it can also be thoroughly special too.
What is most impressive about the modern-day Conty is how much engineering went into making the luxurious grand tourer, leveling up the handling to a degree that you wouldn’t believe possible in such a heavy car. 4,773 pounds (2,165 kilograms) is the curb weight of the Continental GT V8 Coupe, which is heavier the 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody sports sedan.
The underpinnings come from the Porsche Panamera (namely the MSB platform), and even though rear-wheel steering is exclusive to the Flying Spur for the time being, the Conty will get this feature with the coming update. 48-volt active roll bars, all-wheel drive, and up-to-date chassis technology are also featured, along with a maximum velocity of 198 miles per hour (318 km/h).
Leno appears to like the redesigned cabin with better materials than the previous generation, but what impressed him is the long-haul capability. “It’s the first car I’ve used the word comfortable in a long time,” he highlighted.
“It’s an extremely comfortable car to drive, and quite fast as well” if you remember that zero-to-60 takes 3.9 seconds. In comparison to the Aston Martin DB11 with the Mercedes-AMG twin-turbo V8, the Continental GT V8 wins in every respect. Even James Bond enthusiasts know that the R-Type Continental is Double-O-Seven’s final Bentley, featured in the novel Thunderball from March 1961.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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