New Bentley Continental GT V8 for high flyers
WE like to celebrate success here at BCM towers.
We also have a keen liking for Bentley’s Continental GT.
And if you’re a successful entrepreneur, why not celebrate your success with something like a Continental GT?
Well, yes, why not?
But if you’re successful, you’ve probably kept a keen eye on costs. So the latest Bentley Continental GT should appeal to your mindset.
It provides all the elegance and iron fist in velvet glove motoring – but with a better business case.
Launched at the Detroit motor show in January, the BentleyContinental GT is now on the road with a 40 per cent cut in fuel consumption and emissions as well as a drop of around £13,000 in price over the existing 12-cylinder versions.
So instead of swallowing unleaded at the rate of a gallon every 17 miles it now does more like 28 miles to the gallon. That’s a range of up to 500 miles between filling stations.
Smaller engines will broaden the market appeal of the Continental says Bentley, which has become the firm’s most important and best-selling car since its launch in 2003.
Bentley’s engineering chief, Rolf Frech, said that the new V8 Continental GT would appeal to the following buyers: “They’ll me more youthful, aggressive, extrovert and cool. W12 buyers will remain elegant, prestigious and subtle.”
Outwardly the new V8 coupe and convertible (GTC) differ from the existing models with their black matrix grille, 21-inch wheels and figure of eight tailpipes.
The new Bentley Continental GT Coupe is priced at £123,835 (£135,760 for the W12 version), while the GTC convertible costs £136,250 (£149,350 for the W12 model). Then there’s a whole range of options depending on the size of your wallet – £10,000 for ceramic brakes, or how about special liquid paint for a cool £24,000?
Hmmm, seems like you can still spend even while you’re watching the bottom line.
How Bentley has cut the Continental GT’s fuel consumption
The story of Bentley’s new V8 engine goes back to 2008 with the company’s decision to look for a 40 per cent improvement in fuel economy and emissions without sacrificing performance.
The powertrain is a joint development with Volkswagen group stablemate Audi. Just how has that 40 per cent reduction been achieved?
Head of powertrain Paul Williams has a list:
- Downsizing the from a 12-cylinder engine to a V8 accounts for 16%
- The new 8-speed ZF transmission, 6%
- Cylinder de-activation (transition from V8 to V4 mode under light throttle load), 5%
- Variable power steering, 3%
- New Bosch engine management, 3%
- Reduction in weight and drag, 2.5%
- Thermal management, 2%
- Lower rolling resistance tyres, 1%
Williams added:
“We’ve maintained the performance by using high pressure twin turbochargers and direct injection for the first time in a Bentley. The 8-speed transmission has a number of benefits, optimising engine speed, giving a smoother and faster gear change and it is capable of switching multiple gears in one go – dropping from 8 to 4, for example, when you require fast acceleration.
“We have also spent a lot of time tuning the exhausts to give the notes that people want, starting with a typical V8 burble at idle, moving to a mid-range growl and finally a high-end howl.”
Sounds good to us…
Story source: Headlineauto.
