The Continental Gt V8 S: Stronger

What! The latest Bentley costs $300,000? Wait, before you jump right into your excuses, I want you to close your eyes. Imagine yourself, finely dressed (of course), approaching the latest Continental GT V8 S. Being the original person that you are, yours is an electrifying Kingfisher blue; the shade designed specifically for drivers of your standard. You open the door, take a seat on the hand-stitched leather and naturally relax right into its form fitting design. The engine comes to life, but all you hear is a faint sound because strategically, you opted for the revised sporting exhaust system with redesigned silencers. Right before you take off, your hand gently brushes past the piano black veneer and reaches for the 8’’ touchscreen monitor. You make sure your tablet is connected via Bluetooth, you select your favourite playlist and now, you are ready to roll. Today, you decide

to drive on an isolated highway. With a flick of a switch, the top glides down before you even need to blink your eyes. Top down, wind in your hair, your adrenaline kicks in thinking about a top out speed of 308km/h; it’s time to push the limits. Let’s see what this car is made of. Suddenly, the price tag vanishes into thin air, as you just did behind the wheel of the car of your dreams.

Bentley, one of the world’s leading companies in advanced automotive design, has recently uncovered the latest version of one of their finer, more sophisticated models using new and improved innovation. The 2014 Continental GT V8 S is the redesigned Sports Edition that brings muscle enhancement to the model through a higher top speed, tighter suspension, and improved handling. In order to understand Bentley’s determination of consistently evaluating and revamping their stock, it is important to learn about the legend himself: W.O. Bentley. The visionary, a 22-year-old racing rebel, was infatuated by speed and by triumphant victory over the competition. However, he could not seem to match a vehicle to his definition of excellence. And in the year 1919, his phenomenal ambition of “building the car that would satisfy his own extraordinarily high expectations as a driver, as an engineer, as a competitor, and as a gentleman” became the objective behind all Bentley models. The Continental GT V8 S lives up to its mark as a clandestine delivery from the Bentley household.

Let’s begin the tour of the GT V8 S with its most impressive aspect—the engine! Under the hood lies a 4.0 litre, twin-turbocharged V8 engine. The machine has an increased capacity of 21hp over the original model, now producing a total of 521hp at 1700rpm. The force created from this colossal engine can generate speed from zero  to 60 miles in 4.5 seconds. The cylinders function with variable displacement, and can alternate between four and eight cylinders according to how dominant the vehicle must function. The luxurious model confidently accommodates the driver along with three other adult passengers and has 9.1 cubic feet of cargo room that holds necessities for all occasions.

The exterior frame dons a Beluga gloss body kit, adjusted and lowered in height by 10mm to give the GT V8 S a more sleek and sporty impression of the original. It is offered in a total of seventeen chic shades and carries newly energized 20’’ open-spoke wheels with red painted brake calipers. The vehicle comes equipped with the latest intuitive technology such as rain sensing windscreen wipers and LED signature daylight running lamps. The enhanced sports model also carries new options such as dark tint lamps for the front and rear
lights. Lastly, the signature feature that separates the GT V8 S from its original counterpart would be the four-layer insulated soft-top that folds down in less than twenty-five seconds.

Masterminding the assembly of a Bentley requires one full month of production time. The interior consists of hand-stitched premium leather, carefully selected using seventeen different hides. The stitching is all executed by hand and the contrast stitching of the steering wheel alone is a minimum of thirty hours of work. The piano black veneers are polished using a sand and lacquer process that is repeated eighteen times. The Sports Edition comes with an 8’’ high-resolution touch screen system complete with CD/DVD and SD card slots. The driver can instantly connect with their playlist, which can be heard flawlessly through the Naim for Bentley, fifteen-channel sound system.

The Continental GT V8 S is the latest model to grace the world with its extensive engineering and elaborate design, just as W.O. Bentley would have it. Any driver who spends time merely in its presence, let alone behind the wheel, will easily acknowledge the tremendous justice this vehicle represents in the automotive world. Distinctive Collection, Calgary’s exclusive dealership, and one of the only four in Canada who distribute Bentley, has brought the newest convertible to its showroom. Now, that you can see beyond the price its time to open your eyes and meet the vehicle for yourself. Besides, a test drive can’t be too tempting, or can it?