2014 Bentley luxury GT V8 S - Bentley is a luxury car that originally came from England. The company is now part of the Volkswagen AG has now issued a new product that is better Continental with V8 engines.
The design of this car is very unique with a round head lamp, and large. The shape of this car look luxurious with the concept of luxurious and elegant cars. So this car is suitable for the nobility.
When Bentley introduced the Continental GT V8 more than a year ago, the rationale was that the car’s lower-output V-8 engine—which fell short of the output produced by the Conti GT’s W-12—would allow the company to reach new buyers with a less expensive model. Two things muddle this motive: The first is that the V-8 is nearly as powerful as the W-12 and weighs less; the second is that the GT V8’s price tag isn’t far off the W-12’s. Allow us to present the third pillar of the Continental GT V8’s confusion of self: the Continental GT V8 S, a sportier V-8 model that draws closer to the W-12’s output—and likely also its price tag. It will make its debut at the 2013 Frankfurt auto show.
W-12—What W-12?
Let us be clear that we’re not dogging Bentley for slicing the differences between its V-8 and W-12 models even thinner. Porsche’s been following this formula for years, after all, and really the V8 S is to the GT V8 what the GT Speed is to the W-12–powered Continental GT—a hotter variant with the same basic engine. Placed in that context, and not cost or output structure, the V8 S looks far spicier than its numbers suggest. Sure, it has more power than the standard GT V8 at 521 horsepower and 502 lb-ft (21 ponies and 15 lb-ft more than the base model), but that output is paired with the V-8’s livelier moves and lighter curb weight. The W-12 can dance, if begrudgingly, but the GT V8 models we’ve driven have exhibited a fleeter, more tossable feel—closer to a sports car than a big GT car.
The GT V8 S’s prodigious output comes from the same twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 used in the non-S GT V8, and backs up to the same eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time all-wheel-drive system. That setup’s rear-biased 40/60 torque split carries over to the V8 S, as well. Bentley says the uprated powertrain is capable of returning a 4.3-second 0-to-60 blast and a 192-mph top speed in the coupe, and a 4.5-second sprint and 191-mph top speed in the convertible. Those numbers fall right on top of the 567-hp Continental GT coupe and convertible, which, according to the British marque, complete the 0–60 run in 4.3 and 4.4 seconds, and hit 198- and 195-mph top speeds. (We’ve tested both coupe and droptop W-12s and essentially matched those figures.) The V8 S, of course, is a few tenths quicker and several mph faster than Bentley’s claims for the V-8.
Continental GT V8 Speed, Minus the “Peed”
The added speed is coped with by a totally worked-over suspension, which is a tweaked version of the standard car’s air-suspended, double-wishbone front and multilink rear setup. For starters, it sits 0.4 inch closer to the ground, and the spring rates are increased by 45 percent in the front and 33 percent in the rear. The bushings have been stiffened by up to 70 percent, while the rear anti-roll bar is 54 percent stiffer. All this , er, stiffening carries over to the V8 S’s adaptive dampers, which have been tweaked to accommodate hardened hardware, and Bentley says a combination of altered toe and camber settings and software changes bring more precision and feedback to the steering wheel’s action.
Naturally, Bentley backs up the V8 S’s mechanical beef with some visual red meat in the form of more-aggressive front and rear fascias and side skirts wearing dark Beluga gloss paint, while the winged Bentley badges are the same red color as on other V-8–powered models. The car rolls on 20-inch wheels exclusive to the S, and red-painted brake calipers peek out from behind the big meats. There are V8 S badges on each front fender, and the figure-eight-shaped exhaust outlets signal to the world that this is no ordinary eight-cylinder Conti GT. The sporting vibe can be further complemented by an array of 17 available paint colors—seven of which Bentley’s designers specify as being extra sporty, and two are S-exclusive: Kingfisher Blue and Monaco Yellow. Inside, customers can chose from 17 leathers and two-tone color schemes. Bentley’s signature knurled chrome knobs are set off by piano-black veneers that take a claimed 18 sessions of sanding and lacquering to create.
www.caranddriver.comBuyers can take things to an even lustier level by ordering Bentley’s Mulliner Driving Specification, which adds 21-inch wheels, drilled aluminum pedals, a “jewel” fuel-filler cap, and diamond-quilted leather throughout the interior. A sport exhaust also is available, and according to Bentley “delivers a full-blooded V-8 soundtrack.” Indeed. The V8 S coupe and convertible go on sale early next year, although Bentley has yet to release final pricing. Expect the cars’ stickers to fall between those of the V-8 and W-12, meaning between $181,425 and $202,425 for the coupe and between $199,025 and $222,125 for the convertible.
0 comments:
Post a Comment