Haute Auto: 2013 Bentley Continental GT V8

Images: AutoBlog

Haute Living takes a look at the Bentley Continental GT V8, a new model that has four fewer cylinders, less horsepower and a smaller price tag than the coupe but still carries an enormous amount of luxurious high-end standard and clout.

The new Bentley Continental GT V8 is almost fully customizable and features a new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that was co-developed with Audi. The V8 significantly reduces CO2 emissions by 40% and weighs approximately 55 lbs. less than the W12. The Continental GT V8 has been fitted with a ZF-sourced gearbox seen in many other luxury vehicles, and it includes “block downshift” electronics allowing for improved responsiveness, helping with fuel economy.

The luxury automobile also features smaller improvements such as low rolling-resistance tires, improved tumble flow control in the combustion chambers and an ‘on-demand’ power steering pump. Start/Stop technology was not incorporated for this model because of a self-imposed deadline of 2014.

The Bentley Continental GT V8 has 500 horsepower, can go from 0-60 in 4.6 seconds and has a top speed of 188 mph. The V8 is a significantly more sonorous engine than the W12 with a different intake and an exhaust with an asymmetric muffler on the left side.

On the inside of the 2013 Bentley Continental GT V8 there is a cloth headliner, a shorter rear center console and a single wood front armrest. Bentley is able to customize the inside of the cabin according to owner preferences.

Source: AutoBlog