BENTLEY Continental GT V8 Review

The Continental GT received a V8 suffix not because Bentley wanted to add a new entry-level model, as some might believe, but simply thanks to the fact that the automaker wanted to go down a new road. The fresh direction has more to do with the brand's sporting credentials than with anything else and the move is expected to bring a new kind of customers to the brand.

This aim will definitely be achieved, as The Bentley Continental GT V8 is more different to the W12 version from behind the wheel than it is when you're signing the papers.

Each kind of sport requires the athlete to sculpt his body in a specific way. The muscles are carefully developed with each training session. The Bentley Continental GT V8 may not entirely match the brute force of the W12 stormer, but it comes close and it's certainly more agile, better connected to the driver.

The MSRP for the V8 coupe sits at $174,000, which places it just $15,000 under its more uptight brother. Doing business on the Old Continent means at least EUR184,000, or EUR22,000 lighter when compared to the W12 model.

And don't let yourself fooled by the fact that the lists of features place the Continental GT V8 lower. A face to face discussion with a representative of the Flying B company will show you that you can actually tick whatever box you want.

The best part of Bentley's Continental GT V8 is its versatility. It can perform just as well as the W12 model when it comes to being a Grand Tourer, it provides the same concierge-like driving experience. This means that you can enjoy benefits ranging from respect and luxury, to all-weather capability and strong performance.

Nevertheless, the V8 version can also feel much playful when you demand this. You no longer have to deal with the "noblesse oblige" attitude of the W12 Continental GT, which had an obsession for keeping its power a secret and was a tad too aristocratic for certain kinds of corners. The V8 is more vocal and more willing to work its way through the corners, which makes it feel more alive.

In addition, the V8 Continental GT also requires a smaller remuneration at the pump, being more economical than its stiff upper lip brother. One can't go as far as calling it frugal in isolation, but it's definitely more efficient than the Continental GT W12, when driven in a normal manner.

The worst part of the Bentley Continental GT V8 is, just like in the W12 incarnation's case, its relationship with the scales. The official weight figure sits at 5,060 lbs (2,295 kg). Even though there's less mass and it's also better distributed between the axles, you can still feel the car is too heavy.

As for the ugly bit of the Grand Tourer, we'll give this title to the signs the front seats can leave on the rear passenger's legs - Bentley may market the Continental GT as a four-people proposition, but the space in the back is inferior to what a supermini has to offer.

The Bentley Continental GT is a car to drive yourself, so we'd go for the V8 model no matter the buying scenario. We see the W12 powerplant as being reserved for the version of the Continental that can also include a chauffeur in the equation, the Flying Spur.