Обзор Bentley Continental GT V8 S Concours Series Black 2015
Black is the new black in the performance car market, especially in the upper echelons of power. The newest model, the Bentley Continental GT V8 S Concours Series Black, was a sensational grand tour for us this past weekend.
Bentley has a rich history of auto racing in the 1920s and 30s. Its comeback victory at the 24 2003 Hours of Le Mans gave British engineers a taste for victory, and Bentley has proven itself in current GT3 racing, including the latest Bathurst 12 Hour.
So the engine and performance of the standard Bentley Continental V8 S was deemed adequate (to use that fine old expression), and the Concours Black series is meant to add style to an already powerful mechanical package.
Design
As sometimes happens, the "black" edition is not always painted black. Luckily, our test car was painted in this sinister Beluga Black badge, so it made the most of the dark tinted front and rear lights, the black trim on the huge 21-inch Mulliner wheels with Pirelli P-Zero tires, and the real carbon fiber used in the interior.
Concours Series markings are used on the front guards, door sills and head restraints.
Engine / Transmission
The Bentley Continental GT V8 S is powered by a state-of-the-art 4.0-litre V388 twin-turbocharged 8 kW engine. Peak torque of 680 Nm starts at just 1700 rpm, which means there's a grunt under your right foot almost all the time. It uses an eight-speed automatic transmission. The staggering torque means the Bentley is engineered for all-wheel drive, allowing you to use its high performance no matter how slippery the surface is.
The Bentley V8 S sounds exactly like a V8 engine should.
safety
The all-wheel drive system, combined with powerful brakes and the latest electronic stability control systems, ensures that Bentley does its best to stay out of trouble and protects passengers to the best of its ability if something goes wrong.
Driving
The good news is that the Bentley V8 S sounds exactly like a V8 engine should. While it could have been made super-smooth and near-silent, the engine designers knew exactly what V8 buyers wanted.
The twin-turbo unit makes a throaty purr at idle and makes its most satisfying roar as the right pedal approaches the expensive carpet underneath. This is the kind of car that is guaranteed to bring a smile to anyone who loves high-performance V8 engines.
Acceleration time to 100 km / h is only 4.5 seconds.
Just as importantly, the eight-speed automatic has been tuned to minimize shift times, almost to the point that it looks more like a dual-clutch racing unit than a typical torque converter car. Instant changes add excitement to V8 action.
Acceleration time to 100 km / h is only 4.5 seconds - not bad for a car weighing 2.5 tons, given the weight of the driver.
The Bentley Continental GT V8 S has a top speed, conditions permitting, of 309 km/h. We risked our licenses by hitting 120 km/h a few times (well, maybe a little more…) and we really enjoyed the experience. However, it's not just about speed, this Bentley can cover huge distances with minimal effort.
The front seats are a cross between racing units and custom saloons, although the emphasis is on the latter. In our car, they were trimmed in soft, deep black leather with a diamond pleat and red stitching. The support is good, although it is aimed more at comfort for the aforementioned grand touring driving than full-on racetrack racing. This means passengers can slide more than they would like if the driver is enthusiastic.
It's a big car, but it doesn't have much room for a back seat, four adults can be carried, although two plus a couple of kids make more sense. The trunk is huge and easy enough to load.
The Bentley Continental GT V8 S Concours Black is an impressive piece of automotive engineering. When tested for $491,423 (plus road conditions), this is out of my price range. But those who can afford it will enjoy driving their special edition Bentley.
