- Bentley's Continental GT coupe and convertible are getting a V-8 option to complement the existing W-12 models.
- The twin-turbo 4.0-liter engine makes 542 horsepower and 567 lb-ft of torque, less than the W-12 but still enough to provide swift performance.
- The new model is open for ordering now, with U.S. deliveries starting in the third quarter of 2019.
Bentley is hardly a company that subscribes to a "less is more" philosophy, but its new Continental GT V8 models sure are appealing despite packing fewer bragging rights than their W-12–powered stablemates. Both the Continental GT coupe and convertible models are getting a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 engine which promises similar performance as the W-12 despite having four fewer cylinders, 84 fewer horsepower, and 96 fewer lb-ft of torque.
The zero-to-60-mph acceleration claim for the V-8–powered coupe, for instance, is only 0.3 second slower than the W-12 car, for instance, while the eight-cylinder coupe has a claimed top speed of 198 mph, 9 mph less than the 12-cylinder. A Continental GT we tested with the W-12 outran Bentley's own estimate with a scorching 3.3-second run to 60 mph, so we'd expect the V-8 model to be just a bit less brisk than that. An eight-speed automatic transmission routes torque to all four wheels on all V-8 cars, and Bentley says that the V-8's cylinder-deactivation technology will help it provide better fuel efficiency and—perhaps more important for a grand tourer—greater driving range on a tank.
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You'll be able to tell the V-8 cars apart due to their badges and quad exhaust tips, while different 20-inch 10-spoke wheels come standard. A wide range of color and customization options are available, as they are on the W-12 model.
Bentley says the Continental GT V8 coupe and convertible are going on sale in the U.S. before the rest of the world, with deliveries starting later this year. Pricing starts quite a few thousand dollars less than the W-12, with the V-8 coupe starting at $203,825 and the convertible starting at $223,675.
Despite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.
