Bentley has begun sending off its twin-turbocharged V-8 in style.
The British marque is preparing to retire the eight-cylinder that powers the Continental GT, Continental GTC, and Flying Spur. But before that, the mill will be at the heart of an exclusive version of each model called the Edition 8 which will be exclusive to North America.
Bentley announced in March that it would no longer go all-electric by 2030. The brand isn’t ready to quit the ICE engine yet, but it does plan to electrify each of its vehicles going forward. Earlier this week, the automaker unveiled its upcoming hybrid-assisted V-8. The new powertrain is called the Ultra Performance Hybrid and can produce more than 740 hp, making it even more powerful than the company’s outgoing V-12.
That output should dispel most concerns about Bentley’s decision to electrify its lineup, but for the holdouts there are the Edition 8 variants. Each of the special Continental GTs, Continental GTCs, and Flying Spurs comes loaded with add-ons from the automaker’s bespoke division, Mulliner. On the exterior, these include access to the department’s extended paint catalog, the darkened Blackline trim package, and 22-inch rims with either a five- or 10-spoke design. The interior, meanwhile, has been equipped with Bentley’s Comfort Specification seats that feature Mulliner’s Palm Fluting pattern, contrast stitching, and an embroidered Edition 8 logo. There’s also special badging on the doorsills.
The gas-only eight-cylinder has been left untouched. The standard version of the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 produces 542 horses and 568 ft lbs of torque. That’s more than enough might to launch each car from zero to 60 mph in around four seconds. All three cars also have a top speed of 198 mph.
Bentley has yet to say how many Edition 8 cars it will build or how much they will cost. With the company’s new hybrid V-8 having just debuted, we imagine production will be limited. As for price, expect each model to cost a fair bit more than its current starting price, which is $270,150 for the open-top Continental GTC, $245,425 for the Continental GT, and $218,050 for the Flying Spur. The gas-only V-8 will continue to be available in the Bentayga, but don’t count on it being around for too much longer.
