Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible

Continental GT V8 Convertible Review

Founded in 1919, the British manufacturer of luxurious and performance oriented vehicles, Bentley has always been in the news for producing the best luxury vehicles throughout the world. In India Bentley holds a prominent position as well in the exotic and luxurious car segment and Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible is their latest attraction. This car is closely associated with the GT series, but at the same time it has its own distinct characters as well. It possess the 4.0-litre twin turbocharged V8 engine that is capable of cranking out lots of power and torque output. The 8-speed transmission system accounts not only for speedy acceleration but also for greater fuel efficiency. Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible’s infotainment as well as entertainment system is technologically advanced. For the interiors, wood, leather and knurled metal are used to keep up for the luxury that the brand is known to offer. The specially cushioned seats, distinctive and jewel like LED headlamps , Bentley’s winged logo and glossy black grille makes Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible truly a breathtaking treat for the eye and with its advanced features like the twin turbocharged V8 engine, 8-speed transmission, etc.

Exteriors

The Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible comes with 7 core paintwork colours. These colors include Thunder, Dark Sapphire, Beluga, St. James Red, Onyx, Moonbeam and Glacier white. Bentley also gives an option of many more colour shades and hood colors to choose from as per the customer requirement. The car has been blessed with bi-Xenon front headlamps with LED signature and full LED rear lamps, both of these provide high levels of brightness and help improve the visibility for the driver. A twilight sensor control and tunnel detection mode automatically switches on the headlamps. Some other exterior features include rain sensing wipers, twin figure stainless steel pipes, insulated fabric hood, rear diffuser etc. And as far as the dimensions are considered, the overall length, width and height are 4806mm X 2227mm X 1403mm respectively. The overall wheelbase of the car is 2746mm. Some other innovative and unique features include LED ringed inner headlights, lean and muscular bumpers, knife edged crease lines. The “superforming” is a complex process that involves heating grade aluminum to 500 degree celsius and with this the crisp lines on the body of the car are without seams or any joints which ends up giving the car a beautiful look.

Interiors

There are 4 premium grade interior colours for the Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible. These shades are Beluga, Imperial Blue, Porpoise and Newmarket Tan. Lumbar support has been provided for both the front seats and driver seat also gets 14 way adjustment and memory setup. The usage of leather, wood and metal can be seen throughout the cabin. The interiors not only maintain the muscularity and bold look of the outside but also provide the passengers with a warm and welcoming sensation while travelling. Some interior features include electric tilt and reach adjustment, foot well, illuminated centre console, bulls eye air vents, etc. Along with these Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible also offers many new upgrades and optional packages at additional costs to go with the car.       

Engine and Performance

Under the hood, Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible gets an all new V8 engine capable of producing power and torque which is incomparable. This engine generates a maximum power output of 500bhp at the rate of 6000 rpm and a maximum torque of 660Nm at the rate of 1700 rpm. The total fuel tank capacity is 90 litres . The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission along with a continuous all-wheel drive setup. The direct injection fuel system allows significant increase in acceleration. In just 5 seconds, the car can attain the speed of 100 kmph . The top speed of 301 kmph is fascinating and makes one wish that there were better roads in India. Another key element about this engine is its emission ratio which sets new records in the category. The engineers at Bentley developed an exhaust system that produces powerful V8 engine sounds at cruising speeds. The fuel efficiency of Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible is also remarkable as it consumes 15.8 liters and 8 liters per 100km for highways and city traffic respectively .

Braking and Handling

The braking system of the Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible comprise of electronic stability programme, drag torque control and Anti-lock Braking System . The power steering is very speed sensitive and comprises of permanent all wheel drive with a 40:60 torque split. The 20-inch, 5-spoke alloy wheels have a painted finish and red wheel badges. Air springs have also been installed to act along with CDC (continuous damping control). Along with the automatic transmission comes the electronic cruise control.   

Safety features

The Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible comes with front side thorax airbags. The seat belts are automatically adjustable along with the steering column . The steering column also gets memory and exit functions. Fog lamps are present on rear side as well. Parking distance can be controlled using the infotainment system where one can hear directions and the rear camera display can be seen on the infotainment system screen. An ultrasonic volumetric alarm has also been added as an alarm setup in the car. These are many of the active safety features that are made available in the Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible.

Comfort features

Everything inside the Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible is a luxury in itself. Starting with the infotainment system which comes with an 8-inch high resolution touchscreen that incorporates AM/FM, HDD media interface, satellite radio, wireless Bluetooth and much more . The 8-speaker setup has a balanced mode radiator for full pleasure. HVAC controls have been integrated to provide the best circulation and efficiency. Some other comfort and convenient features include keyless entry, black Bentley matrix grille, central locking, etc. The insulated fabric hood is available in 3 different colours and can be automatically folded.

Pros 

Excellent engine and performance, best in class interiors and comfort features.

Cons

Poor dealership network.