Bentley Continental GT V8 review: Luxury, sport and efficiency all in one

“With power comes responsibility.” That’s not Spider-Man talking. It’s Bentley, referring to the performance of its new Continental GT V8.

The latest model from the luxury carmaker’s Continental stable to reach our shores forsakes the massive 12-cylinder engine for a more economical 4-litre V8, good for 500bhp and 660Nm of torque. A sign of the green times, maybe, but that’s enough power by far for a Hong Kong motorist. “Responsibility” possibly refers to avoiding the temptation to break the speed limit.

What you get with the V8 is about 50 fewer horses under the bonnet but also a 40 per cent improvement in efficiency and a big reduction in CO2 emissions. And it can carry you 850 kilometres on a full tank of petrol, so the loss of four cylinders is hardly a sacrifice.

And it’s still the same body size as the 12-cylinder GT. At 4.8 metres in length, slightly smaller than the Continental Flying Spur, it has the familiar rounded rear end and bulging rear wheel arches that render a strong, muscular look. Resembling a crouching tiger from behind, when it pounces the V8 can sprint from zero to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds – not bad for a beast with a kerb weight of 2,295kg.

Part of the economy achieved results from the engine’s variable displacement system, which means the engine is a V8 at full throttle but switches seamlessly to a V4 at lower speeds. Efficiency is helped by a new 8-speed transmission, Bentley says.

Running on 20-inch alloy wheels, Bentley’s racing creed is stressed by the double figure-eight exhausts and red enamel ‘B’ badges above the grille and boot.