First drive overview: Feeling good within the 2020 Bentley Continental GT V8
Shuffling by means of the press of late-afternoon San Francisco site visitors in a 2020 Bentley Continental GT V8 convertible I rub my thumbs throughout the hand-stitching on the within rim of the leather-wrapped steering wheel as a result of it feels good. With little else to do as site visitors stands nonetheless, I brush my hand throughout the supple Imperial Blue leather-based that not solely upholsters the seats but in addition the door panels, dashboard, and different nooks and crannies. That feels good too. I transfer to the Charisma drive mode controller, the quantity and tuning knobs, and even the wiper stalk and really feel their knurled aluminum edges. Once more, they really feel good. And when site visitors lastly opens up, I kick the throttle to the ground to really feel the push of 542 British-tuned turbocharged horses as a result of, rattling, that feels good.
It sounds good, too.
The 2020 Bentley Continental GT V8 coupe and convertible are the less-expensive however hardly less-capable variations of the redesigned Continental that made its debut as a 2019 mannequin. As an alternative of a 626-hp W-12 underneath the hood, they characteristic a Porsche-sourced and Bentley-tuned twin-turbo four.Zero-liter V-Eight that conjures up 542 hp and 568 pound-feet of torque.
Like they do within the Porsche Panamera and Cayenne, these turbos sit between the engine’s cylinder banks, the place the exhaust gases have a shorter path to supply their increase and the turbos can scroll up faster. With a 7,000-rpm redline, which is not possible to achieve in San Francisco rush hour, it’s the highest-revving Bentley engine ever. That will not be the achievement it’s cracked as much as be. In any case, 12-cylinder engines outdoors of the small-displacement Method One powerplants of the 1980s and ’90s aren’t recognized for top revs and Bentley is a model whose different V-Eight, the Mulsanne’s 6.75-liter torque monster, maxes out at a diesel-like four,500 rpm.
I don’t have to max out the revs to faucet into the ability, although. The V-Eight makes its peak torque as little as 1,960 rpm and retains it on the burner till four,500 rpm. That gives greater than sufficient scoot to rapidly shoot by means of the hole whereas the tech exec subsequent to me is taking a look at his telephone when site visitors lastly begins to maneuver.
2020 Bentley Continental GT V8
2020 Bentley Continental GT V8
2020 Bentley Continental GT V8
Valley automotive
It hasn’t been all brake lights and hypertension. The journey started in Napa Valley and wound its manner by means of a number of the greatest driving roads in America.
I cycled by means of two Continentals alongside the way in which, a Silver Storm GT V8 coupe and this Jetstream II (child blue) GT V8 convertible. Each vehicles take about 88 kilos off the nostril in comparison with the 626-hp, W-12-powered Contis, and each weigh as a lot as 176 kilos much less attributable to a shorter listing of ordinary tools.
It’s that weight on the nostril that made the distinction in Napa, aiding turn-in response and making a lighter, nimbler really feel. The engine’s place within the new chassis helps, too. The Continental was redesigned for the 2019 mannequin 12 months, and the primary automotive to hit the market was the W-12 coupe. Subsequent up was the W-12 convertible, and now each physique types get the V-Eight. All of them use an aluminum-intensive Volkswagen Group structure known as MSB. Shared with the Porsche Panamera and Cayenne, MSB strikes the entrance axle ahead 5.three inches, which creates shorter overhangs, an extended “status mass” between the A-pillars and entrance wheel openings, and an engine place that’s set again thus far the entrance axle passes by means of the engine’s sump.
2020 Bentley Continental GT V8
2020 Bentley Continental GT V8
2020 Bentley Continental GT V8
Sports activities coupe efficiency
On my journey, which started among the many Napa’s 420 vineyards, tracked alongside the Pacific Ocean, and twisted underneath Central California’s redwood timber—and traveled by means of not less than three completely different climates alongside the way in which—the broad and heavy Continental GT V8 coupe dealt with like a smaller automotive. Bentley’s claims of supercar efficiency are overstated, however the Conti can declare the prowess of a sports activities coupe or sport sedan.
Aided by the physique’s stiff construction, three-chamber air springs, and adjustable dampers with three ranges of stiffness, the four,773-pound coupe sliced alongside the serpentine roads, its Escalade-like 86.1-inch width the one disadvantage on the often-narrow lanes. Furthermore, the Dynamic Journey System, which is elective on the V-Eight fashions and normal on W-12s, helped the luxurious monster defy physics. Enabled by a 48-volt system, the energetic set of anti-roll bars fought the automotive’s want to lean in turns, and it has a variety of it with all that width.
With the Charisma drive mode controller (as a result of that’s what you could have while you drive a Bentley, charisma) in Sport mode, the Conti GT V8 added a measure of refined aggression. The engine and Eight-speed dual-clutch transmission could come from Porsche, however the shifts aren’t as abrupt as Porsche’s Sport mode they usually actually don’t jolt like Porsche’s Sport+. The engine additionally isn’t as loud and doesn’t make as many uncouth noises. Positive, Sport brings the engine observe ahead and triggers some bwaps and muffled exhaust overrun between gears, however that’s the righteous spirit of a gentlemanly British luxurious automotive with a sporting historical past, not the vulgar bark of a very offended sports activities automotive.
2020 Bentley Continental GT V8
This British athlete gained’t be cowed in a dash, both. Put the pedal to the plush, embroidered carpet, and the Conti V8 will rush from Zero-60 mph in three.9 seconds, simply Zero.three seconds slower than its W-12 counterpart. The acceleration is thrilling. Torque comes on rapidly, gear modifications are refined, and the automotive tops out at 198 mph.
I acquired some twisty time within the Jetstream II convertible, too, and the dynamic expertise was virtually as stirring because it was within the coupe. Continental Car Line Director Peter Visitor instructed Motor Authority that reducing the highest off a coupe robs the physique of 80 p.c of its structural rigidity. Nevertheless, Bentley put in copious effort to make up for it. Engineers bolstered the facet sills, added a shear panel beneath the rear finish, beefed up the A-pillars, added an additional crossmember entrance and rear, and elevated the quantity of construction underneath the ground within the space of the B-pillars. These measures, plus the mechanism for the attractive power-folding prime that opens or closes in 19 seconds at as much as 30 mph, add greater than 350 kilos to the automotive, however the reinforcements recuperate about two-thirds of the misplaced stiffness as a result of lacking prime, based on Visitor.
On the street, it was exhausting to inform the distinction between the coupe and convertible on easy roads and mild curves. Tough roads—which the Continental smothers very properly regardless of low-profile 21- and 22-inch wheels—revealed a little bit of cowl shake, and a softer tune for the suspension means the droptop doesn’t carve sharp corners as exactly because the coupe. The Zero-60-mph time can be a tenth slower at four.Zero seconds as a result of further weight. Nevertheless, there’s nothing fairly like top-down driving, and the thick material roof shuts out noise in addition to the final model of the coupe—and that’s bloody rattling properly.
2020 Bentley Continental GT V8
2020 Bentley Continental GT V8
2020 Bentley Continental GT V8
2020 Bentley Continental GT V8
Luxurious residing
Each vehicles I drove had principally the identical inside: single-tone Imperial Blue leather-based with “Côtes de Genève” ribbed aluminum trim. One automotive had piano black trim as properly, whereas the opposite had darkish burled walnut. The search for each was really spectacular, however I discovered it much less adventurous than I would favor. It strikes me that a lot of the enjoyable of shopping for a Bentley is selecting out the paint and inside colours. Whereas I appreciated the blue leather-based, I’d select a two-tone sample and go for Linen (white) because the distinction coloration. It pops extra, and people colours work nice with the enticing child blue of the Jetstream II coloration. Then once more, the Alpine Inexperienced, Dragon Crimson, and Orange Flame coupes additionally known as out to me, and I’d take pleasure in selecting a special two-tone leather-based for every, then deciding on the a number of wooden and/or aluminum carbon-fiber trims. The probabilities are practically infinite.
If I had the means, I’d test the field for the V-Eight as properly. The 2020 Bentley Continental GT V8 begins at $198,500 for the coupe and $218,550 for the convertible in comparison with $214,600 and $236,100 for his or her W-12 counterparts. I would go along with the V8 coupe (for its stiffer construction) and save the $16,000 however spend the $5,000 or so for the Dynamic Journey Management energetic roll bars. If solely I might afford a $200,000 luxurious sport coupe, I wager that might really feel good, too.
Bentley supplied journey and airfare to Web Manufacturers Automotive to deliver you this firsthand report.
