Well this news isn't quite as bad as Mercedes-Benz dropping all of the V12s out of the SL, but it's still a distressing sign of the times. The lack of surprise is because it's not a surprise in any way. From the day they announced the new Continental, we knew there would be a V8 option, we just didn't know when. Now we do: Bentley will be showing a V8 Continental at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show.
Currently, the Continental GT is available with a twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12 which makes 567 horsepower, 516 pound-feet of torque while returning 12/19 mpg. It also costs $189,900. Most of these numbers are not good for sales. The newly developed 4.0-liter V8 will be cheaper and more fuel efficient, such are the times. Consider you can get a CL600 for some $30,000 less or a Jag XKR-S for some $50,000 less and you can see why Bentley is eager to compete in a new price range. A price, btw, which has yet to be announced.
Oh, and there's also a very nasty rumor floating around that Bentley is considering a sub 3.0-liter option for the Chinese market (there's a tax break and that market seems okay with big cars with small engines). But that's not something we need to worry about so let's just forget I said anything.
stoppre75 says:
08:57 AM, 08/ 1/11
Take the 5998cc W12...cut it in half and you essentially have a VR6 from Volkswagen (at 2,999cc). Take that engine, add some direct injection, a turbo or two and crank up the boost to 16+psi.
Shouldn't be too hard to get the output near 400hp. Refinement might need to be worked out, but hey, thats why you spend 200 large on a Bentley.