There’s a place for Bentley charms

It’s not very often that an ultra high-end luxury car manufacturer invites for a small launch cum track day at the  Sepang International Circuit. So when Bentley Motors sent an invite for me to participate in the launch of the Bentley Continental GT V8 S coupe and convertible, I couldn’t have said yes faster!

 

Coming from last year’s high of well over 10,000 cars sold, 2013 was Bentley’s best year ever. I had witnessed the unveiling of the new Continental S variants in last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show and was excited to have a crack at them behind the wheel. A few months later, prayers answered.

 

The Continental GT V8 S variants are positioned toward potential owners who want a sportier, more aggressive, more driver-focused Bentley yet still crave the ultraluxurious and premium feel that the winged “B” is known for.

 

Modest changes

 

Changes are modest: Both coupe and convertible get a redesigned fascia, side skirts and rear bumper that visually makes the Continental lower, meaner and more aggressive. Ride height is lowered by 10 millimeters, plus the suspension is stiffened significantly to increase stability and traction, and improve feel and feedback. It’s no track sled, but it makes itself a more willing partner on winding roads and high-speed runs. More changes include wheels specific to the Continental GT V8 S coupe and convertible, blacked-out side mirror covers plus the optional super shiny Beluga Gloss finish being standard.

 

Both are powered by the Volkswagen-Audi  Group’s (VAG) 4-liter twin-scroll, twin turbo V8, producing  520.77 horsepower and 680 Newton-meters of torque, sending it through a ZF eight-speed Titronic automatic transmission with all-wheel drive. It can send as much as 85 percent of the driving force to the rear wheels, to improve steering feel and give it a more RWD-feeling drivetrain, or as much as 65 percent of the power to the front wheels to aid in traction or to queel under/oversteer. To put it in perspective, that’s  20.71 HP and 20 m of torque more than the regular non-S variants of the Continental. Equipped with the sports exhaust, it makes a world of difference as the Continental makes an ear-shattering sound as the melodious noise bounces off the empty grandstands, akin to a World War II-era Spitfire making a strafing run down Sepang’s twin straights.

 

Big boys with big brakes

 

Since the Continental weighs 2,295 kilograms for the coupe and 2,470 kg for the convertible, these big boys come equipped with the largest brake discs used in a production car: 405 mm front and 335 mm rear steel brake discs or 420 mm front and 356 mm rear carbon-silicon-carbide composite brakes, which help shed 25 kg from the Bentley’s considerable heft. Eight-piston calipers fore and aft clamp down on these dinner-plate-sized discs. Of course, the brakes come with ABS-EBD with emergency assist and, in conjunction with the traction/stability control that comes as standard, handily come with aquaplane detection software, handy in a huge car with massive 275/40R20 tires or even more massive 275/35R21 tires on bespoke forged aluminum wheels exclusive to the S variants.

 

Inside, everything is covered in very soft leather. Seventeen hides were sacrificed to make one of the most exclusive, luxurious and premium-feeling interiors in the world, a characteristic Bentley has long been known for  even before its takeover by the VAG.

 

The diamond-quilted leather seats our test unit came equipped with  matching diamond-quilting on the door sidings, and  seats adjusting 14 ways to accommodate a wide array of drivers, handy for the very long, intercontinental drives Bentleys are well-known for. The three-spoke sports steering wheel has both tilt and telescopic adjustment, with flappy paddles to change gears manually, and auxiliary buttons for the cruise control and multimedia system. It should be a comfortable cross-country travel from America’s East to West Coasts, or from London all the way to Moscow.

 

So how is it to drive? In a word: divine!

 

While Sepang, or a racetrack for that matter, isn’t the best place to drive a grand touring, a four-wheeled piece of rolling art and fine example of mechanical engineering  by Crewe’s best artisans, the Continental feels confident especially at high speeds. On my outlap, I floor the Continental’s throttle to hear the V8 rumble, which thankfully hasn’t been drowned out by the twin turbos or noise regulations.

 

Faster than the ideal

 

At 240-250 kilometers per hour, it feels like I’m going an easy 100 kph that by the time the braking points appear, I step on the carbon-silicon-carbide brakes gently and realize, almost too late,  that I’ve entered the corner a good 120 kph FASTER than ideal, on a car I barely know, costing more than everything I own combined, retaining wall looming close! I stand on the brakes, the rear tires squirm for traction; and the big, bad Bentley finally slows down to sensible speeds. I make the turn and my driving instructor lets out a deep breath!

 

The Continental is deceptively fast. At 100 kph, it really feels like you’re walking as the engine shifts to eighth gear at a low 1100 revolutions per minute. Unleash the engine’s full potential and the speed piles on unrelentingly. There’s a mild roll even with the chassis, powertrain and suspension set in sports mode, but it helps you gauge traction and stability through the corners in a most friendly and predictable manner. The nose feels a bit heavy at times especially when powering out of turns, the steering feels a bit too light for my taste for track use, and the brakes could do with a bit more firmness despite having excellent feel and modulation, but I’m constantly reminded that these traits I’m looking for belong to a focused, track-biased sports car, not a 2-ton-plus rolling palace! Sure, it can hack it on maximum attack, but you and I know it prefers going at it more gently. Hence, when driven at a gentler 7/10 the Continental comes alive. Fast, confident, willing but always composed and, crucially, very comfortable. Considering that the GT V8 S only demands a modest 7-to-10-percent premium over the regular Continental V8, this is very good value indeed!

 

Its market is limited, but there is indeed a place for the Bentley’s charms. With the Bentley SUV already confirmed for production and due to be released in 2016, expect the Winged B to come out with even more exciting products soon!