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Bentley Continental GT V8 review

4 years ago

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Writer:

Andrew Frankel | Ti co-founder

Date:

14 April 2021

It was a ridiculous road at which to point such a car. Fifty miles long, narrow, twisting, with complex radii, treacherous cambers and ever-changing surfaces, me and the bloke in the passenger seat briefly considered what we’d most want to drive here. An Alpine A110? Maybe. A Caterham 620S or Ariel Atom 4 more like. But absolutely and categorically not an air-sprung Bentley weighing just a fraction less than 2.2 tonnes.

Yet it didn’t just cope with the most challenging surroundings encountered by a Bentley since they organised the press launch for the original Turbo R at the Hungaroring, this new Continental GT V8 positively relished it. Okay, so it wasn’t dancing on its toes, but it was quick, grippy, precise, brilliantly damped and it did it all to an absolutely epic soundtrack courtesy of the same 4-litre twin-turbo V8 you’ll find in a Porsche Panamera Turbo.

What interests me is how much better is the GT for having this smaller, less powerful engine. The extensively redesigned 6-litre W12 is a pretty good motor these days, but the V8 is lighter by 50kg, sounds better and more appropriate to Bentley surroundings and is of course cheaper to buy (by over £11,000) and far cheaper to run, if Bentley owners are even concerned by such things.

Coupled with the best ride I’ve experienced in this kind of car, an ultra-high quality cabin and superlative refinement, this is the Grand Tourer I’ve been waiting for. An Aston DB11 V8 is a better looking and more dynamic car than this, but to use every day and for all purposes, I think the Conti would take a hell of lot of beating. In short it’s the most capable new Bentley I’ve driven.

Bentley Continental GT V8
Engine: 3996cc, V8, twin-turbo
Transmission: 8-speed dual clutch, 4WD
Power: 542bhp @ 5750rpm
Torque: 568lb ft @ 1950rpm
Weight: 2194kg
Power-to-weight: 247bhp/tonne
0-62mph: 4.0 seconds
Top speed: 198mph
Price: £148,800
Ti rating 8/10
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