Bentley Continental GTC V8 Review: Big, Brash and Bloody Brutal

Under the hood

While Bentley’s W12 GTC is well known for eating children and punching polar bears in the kidneys, this new twin-turbocharged V8 is billed as its detoxed brother. But never fear, it's still got the cojonas to knock a polar bear square out!

Fold open the ‘Facts and Figures’ page in the PR blurb and you’re greeted with some ball-tingling figures; 500bhp and 487lb ft of twist is a strong amount, even for a 2000-passenger cruise-liner…

Behind the wheel

Need we go into detail? It’s a Benters after all, meaning that your £175k (as tested) affords you the comfiest, smelliest (in a good way) and softest two-tone leather imaginable. You also get the standard polished wood, a TV and a roof so well insulated that John Terry himself would struggle to penetrate it.

Wake up the thumping V8 and those tingles we discussed earlier make their way northwards. It’s one of those sounds you want to bottle (especially from the outside). But the proof is in the right foot prod. Can a 2.5-tonne luxury barge really be as quick as the numbers suggest? Er no, it’s much, much faster than that…

Thanks to all-wheel drive, massive tyres and a wonderfully lubed-up 8spd auto ‘box, the GTC doesn’t only accelerate hard, it ploughs the tarmac underneath into complete submission.

Drive the GTC like Saville’s ravenous taste for minors and you’ll see 62mph in under 5 seconds. Flat out, you’re looking at as near as makes no difference 200mph. Remember, this thing weighs the equivalent of a Mercedes Sprinter van loaded with three obese people (aka ‘bubbly’) in the back, which is mega impressive.

How about the corners? Unbelievably, the GTC’s quite a hero. The suspension – even in Sport mode – rides like it’s on feathers despite rolling on titanic 21-inch alloys. Grip is hugely impressive, too, and we failed to shake the GTC’s tail feather, despite soggy roads. Steering is more responsive than a luxury bruiser should allow and the brakes are as solid as Amir Khan’s latest smackdown.

Splash the cash?

If you’re a footballist or your daddy owns his own people-trafficking ring, then the Bentley GTC V8 should be high up on your list.

It’s an effortless cruiser at any speed, demanding of attention and as comfortable as Colin Jackson’s sexuality. It’s also gorgeous to look at, amazing to listen to at full shout (roof down, of course) and in yellow, about as obscene as luxury motoring gets.