ST. HELENA, Calif. One hundred years ago, W.O. Bentley created a company with a simple objective: To build a fast car, a good car, the best in its class. After initial growing pains, it found its raison dtre in its pursuit of luxury and performance, the latter exemplified by its five victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans between 1924 and 1930.And though producing little more than rebadged Rolls-Royce cars during the decades it was owned by the bespoke manufacturer, the 21 years that Bentley has been under the stewardship of Volkswagen AG has seen the British company construct some of the worlds most sought-after, sumptuously fitted, overpowered grand touring machines emphasis on grand.The 2020 Bentley Continental GT, in coupe and convertible variants, is more of the same. The third-generation iteration of the companys most successful product 70,000 sold since it made its initial debut in 2003 was all-new last year, at least in hardtop form and powered by Bentleys signature 6.0-litre W12 engine. Its droptop sibling now joins it, and both have a new addition in the powerplant department a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 mated with a new eight-speed double-clutch transmission. (Just to keep the record straight, the convertible will be available later this year with the W12.)And lest anyone thinks 542 horsepower and 568 pound-feet is somehow deficient, at least when compared with the 12-cylinders thundering 626 horsepower, allow me to purge that notion. The V8 hardtop GT will move its 2,165-kilogram mass from rest to 100 km/h in just four seconds; the convertible is but a tenth slower despite another 170 kilograms of road-hugging weight. This is a mere three-tenths of a second slower than the W12 models. (When experienced for the first time, its like discovering Pavarotti could run the 100 metres in 10 flat. Something this big shouldnt be that fast.) In addition to a seemingly endless supply of power across a broad range, the V8 blat and burble though the stylish quad exhaust pipes plasters a guilty grin on ones face. Some might argue that Bentleys are about prestige and overt luxury and they would be right. But Bentley has also been walking the walk with the Continental GT for a half-dozen years, campaigning the car in a number of race series throughout the world. Its even going after the production-car Pikes Peak hillclimb record currently held by a Porsche 911 Turbo S on June 30, albeit with the W12 engine.More to the point, the GT is equally adept at diving into a decreasing radius turn at a decent clip, holding the correct line and blasting off to tackle the next. Our drive route started in St. Helena, headed through the Napa and Sonoma valleys and then up and over the mountains to hook up with the Pacific Coast Highway on the other side. From there, it was a long run south on the 101, through congested San Francisco and finally zipping along at a brisk clip the highways 65-mph speed limit is clearly a mere suggestion for most California motorists ending up in Palo Alto. For the first half of the route, the roads, blessedly free of vacationing RVs and other mobile chicanes, had more twists to them than a politicians promise. Though initially thinking the cars steering a little light for the job at hand, I revised my belief after about the 200th corner.Impressive is the fact ride quality was not compromised one iota, even with the GTs drive mode set on Sport. Both the coupe and convertible are equipped with front and rear lightweight anti-roll bars for extraordinary handling, while the optional Dynamic Ride System controls ride comfort and lateral roll, cushioning passengers from excessive movement. The air suspension uses three-chamber air springs, further improving ride comfort. It has the scope to vary from sporting spring stiffness to limo-like refinement, depending on which mode is selected. Standard active all-wheel drive varies the front-to-rear torque split dependent on the driving situation, though the setup is tuned to use rear-wheel drive as much as possible during normal driving.Although there was plenty of time spent hooning the GT V8s in very atypical fashion, there was occasion enough to cruise through the small farming and tourist towns dotting the route, top down in the convertible, soaking up the rays and reveling at the cars finer touches, of which there were many. The convertibles tailored roof can be deployed or stowed in just 19 seconds at the touch of a single button, with the car travelling at speeds of up to 50 km/h. A newly designed neck warmer both warmer and quieter than in the previous GT Convertible is integrated into the heated and vented seats (with massage function), optimizing airflow around the electrically adjustable headrests. Combined with a heated steering wheel and new heated armrests, al-fresco motoring can be extended into the colder months.Bentleys, from the Bentayga to the Mulsanne, are known for their opulent handcrafted interiors,
Origin: First Drive: 2020 Bentley Continental GT V8