Bentley is working on a high-performance version of its Continental GT V8, the proof of which you can see in these spy photos from the Nürburgring. The car pictured is a riff on the V8 S model, and has a more aggressive front spoiler, a lower suspension, and a sorta goofy-looking fixed rear spoiler instead of the usual smaller, electrically operated unit.
Other cosmetic changes include black mirror caps, while the exhaust pipes could still be changed to differentiate them from lesser V8 models. The vehicle will feature a variation of the same twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 that powers the Audi S6 and S7, RS7, S8, and, of course, the Continental GT V8.
Rated at 550 horsepower or more, the new model could be called the Continental GT V8 RS and will sit between the 521-hp Continental GT V8 S and the 567-hp Continental GT W12. But as a high-performance derivative, it will be spiritually closer to the W12-based Continental GT Speed. More powerful than any other Bentley V8 and lighter than any W12, it will be the brand’s sportiest car by far.
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The GT V8 RS is part of a push to position Bentley as an even more youthful and sporting brand, more of an Aston Martin competitor than a foil to Rolls-Royce. Down the road, we expect to see sleeker and even sportier body styles across the brand’s lineup. The Continental GT V8 RS could come to market later this year or in early 2015, with pricing starting well above $200,000.
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