By Mark Elias
Thursday, Feb 16th, 2012 @ 11:45 am

Almost on its own, the Bentley Continental GT has helped to pull the brand up by its bootstraps since 2003. New and improved in 2011, it finally gets a long promised alternative “green” powerplant… green being relative, of course. The 2013 Bentley Continental GT V8 is the result of that promise.

Join Leftlane as we trekked through the snowed over vineyards of Northern Spain for the worldwide launch of the GT V8.

Originally equipped with a W12 twin turbo engine making 552-horsepower, the Continental singlehandedly revived the struggling brand under then-new owner Volkswagen by bringing buyers who previously would have never given the marque a second thought. Professional athletes, celebrities, musicians, hip-hop artists and others were soon behind the wheel of a car that was as good looking as it was powerful.

In the grand scheme of things the GT was not a vulgar vehicle like, say, the cars in the Lamborghini lineup or some of the pieces from Maranello. But with the W12 engine and its four banks of three cylinders, it could be argued an exercise in tasteful excess. That’s where the new V8 comes in.

Bentley thinks this new, lower price point will also help reel in buyers who might otherwise be looking at the Maserati Gran Turismo, the Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG and the Aston Martin Vantage S.

Still the one
The Bentley Continental GT and its convertible variant, the GTC, are still the luxed-out four-seaters that we think are two of the best examples of grand touring machines in the market today. Both are available in a variety of builds that can accommodate the whims of nearly any owner. Want custom paint to match your significant other’s favorite shade of nail polish? Done. How about exotic hides that cover the exquisitely formed performance seats? No problem. Or choice wood veneers that would make a Stradivarius violin envious? The Continental range can be adapted to nearly every buyer’s idea of a good time on wheels. We drove a model with turned aluminum dash panels, but we really loved the appearance of the “fiddleback” eucalyptus that, as its name implies, looks like the back of a violin. Bentley designers are even available to protect stylistically-challenged buyers from themselves should they need added direction. Money doesn’t buy taste, after all.

In conjunction with a development partnership between Bentley and its VW Group sister brand Audi, the four-ring brand’s S8’s V8 engine that finds its way underhood. A combination of downsizing, the use of a new ZF eight-speed transmission, cylinder deactivation, and variable power steering, can account for a 30 percent reduction in fuel consumption.

Further reductions come through recalibration, decreasing weight and drag, an increase in thermal management, recuperation and low rolling resistance, high performance tires provide even more savings.

Benefits are realized by the direct-injection engine, with its twin-scroll turbochargers residing in the valley between cylinder banks. Low friction bearings, and a KERS-like recuperative charging system are joined by a high-efficiency intercooler and tumble flow control for more complete combustion. The result is a V8 that produces only 13 percent less horsepower and 8 percent less torque, for 500 horsepower and 487 lb-ft of torque, respectively, compared to the 567 ponies and 516 torquies from the W12 engine.

Bentley is working the efficiency program. On warm up, coolant stays in the engine until a preset temperature has been reached. More is diverted to the transmission to reduce losses in energy there. Once both have achieved optimal temperature, the system resumes normal circulation.

This is not Bentley’s first go-round with cylinder deactivation; they have proven the system’s use in the flagship Mulsanne since late 2010. To counteract the vibrations that sometimes accompany cylinder deactivated engines, Bentley has approached the issue with tuned hydraulic engine mounts that change to a softer state in cylinder deactivation mode and at idle. The transmission receives similar two-stage mounts for the same purpose. That we noticed not a bit of roughness speaks to their effectiveness.

All of these go-fast goodies, a weight reduction and more efficient executions result in a 0-60 time of 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 188 mph. That is not too far off the mark of the W12’s 4.4 seconds and top end of 198 mph. On the consumption side of things, official mileage numbers aren’t in yet, but Bentley is predicting 18 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. That’s damn impressive for a vehicle weighing in at 5,060 lbs..

Looks count
Considered the high-performance variant of the Continental lineup, it is not without model-specific design cues that put it in a different place from its more buttoned-up brother. To that end, the V8 GT features red “B” badging throughout. It’s like this player shows up to the party wearing a blazer, loafers without socks while other attendees wear formal evening attire. No matter. Just displaying the B alone puts a car in a different place.

The by-now familiar mesh grille is glossy black with a chrome frame and center bar. Carrying the theme further, the under bumper intakes are finished in like fashion. Various wheels including 21-inch black diamond cut alloys are available and can be customized in a wide variety of styles. Body-colored eight-pot brake calipers are another option, but as we have come to realize with Bentley, there is really nothing that is off the table with respect to customization. A revised rear spoiler and figure eight-shaped chrome exhaust finishers help complete the rear. It’s a tasteful look, which manages to avoid screaming “look at me, look at me,” unless the car is finished in Dragon Red, which would be our color of choice.

But does it go?
Behind the wheel of the Bentley Continental GT V8, there was a sense of familiarity with the setup and handling of the ride. Imagine the power of the all-wheel-drive W12, but in a more agile form. Thanks to a diet program that shed 55 lbs. over the front axle. Other improvements follow in line: A change in weight distribution from 54:46 in the W12 to 51:49 with the smaller four-liter, and sharper steering response, all do their part to make this one of the best handling Bentleys yet. At the short course of Circuito de Navarra, in Logrono, Spain, we experienced quick turn-ins with minimal understeer. The huge, platter-like carbon-ceramic brake rotors managed to keep brake-fade at bay and maintained a positive flow through the turns, including the pair of hairpins that saw rapid deceleration on entry with massive acceleration coming out.

And that says nothing about the aural excitement from underhood. Powertrain engineer Richard Haycox delights in explaining how the V8 starts at idle with a properly strong V8 gurgle that changes to a mid-range growl and grows to a high-end howl that made us think NASCAR (at least until we glanced back at the Bentley grille).

We have always admired the Continental GT as the ultimate in four-seat grand touring luxury. With the power, efficiency, and cache exhibited by the new V8 model, we think the “Bentley Boys and the “Bentley Girls” who join them have brought forth a new version that continues the lineage in proper fashion.

Now if we could only find that winning Powerball ticket.

Why you would buy it:
Eight is great. Bentley’s new V8 allows you to go fast and save gas at the same time.

Why you wouldn’t:
You feel true grand touring luxury should only be available in a pack of a dozen.

Leftlane’s bottom line
Bentley refines the package in their Continental GT lineup, which might cause buyers to wonder why they chose a W12, when they could have had a V8.

2013 Bentley Continental GT V8 base price, $174,000 (estimated).

Words and photos by Mark Elias.

Related Articles

left
right
  

LeftLane

Login

  • LeftLane

    Copyright © 2005 - 2012 Left lane News.
    All rights reserved.