FASTEST BENTLEY

Text: Sergey Tokarev

ONCE, THREE YEARS BACK, WE HAVE ALREADY TAKEN THE TEST DRIVE OF THE BEAUTIFUL FROM THE BENTLEY FAMILY, BUT THEN IT WAS CONTINENTAL FLYING SPUR. IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR, WE WERE OFFERED TO TEST THE WHOLE NEW BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT V8 S MODEL, REPRESENTING THE DEBUTANT AS "ONE OF THE FASTEST IN THE BENTLEY KIND". THE POISON-YELLOW COLOR OF THE SPORTS COUPE WAS SO LOOKED AT THE BACKGROUND OF GREEN LAWS AND BLUE SKY THAT WE DIDN'T FOUND IN YOURSELF FORCE TO SAY NO.

What the Bentley Continental GT V8 S is capable of, it immediately became clear from the speedometer on which the number 320 proudly flaunted. However, the British designers themselves claim that it will be possible to disperse this handsome man to a modest 309 kilometers per hour. Not up to 300, not up to 310, namely up to 309. Looking ahead, I will say that the abundance of radars on the roads of the United Arab Emirates did not allow us to check speed characteristics in practice. It remains only to believe the word or wait until someone dares to press the gas pedal all the way to the floor and not let go for a minute or two. Just in case, let me remind you lovers of bold experiments - in Dubai, the fine for exceeding speeds of more than 200 km / h is 15 thousand dirhams, to which four penalty “black marks” are added, and in special cases also a month of a free parking.

More about speed - an eight-cylinder engine with a capacity of 528 horsepower accelerates two and a half tons (2750 kg) of British iron to 100 kilometers per hour in just four and a half seconds. Ten seconds - and already 160 on the speedometer! Considering that the majority of city roads in Dubai have a limit of 100 kilometers, few will need ten seconds to accelerate. Yes, and eight cylinders, however, too, since half of them still remain inactive most of the time - to maintain a constant speed of 100,200 km / h, only four out of eight and two out of four cylinders are enough.

By the way, the press release said that we should have had enough fuel for 805 kilometers in the 90 liter tank. But, apparently, the calculations were made taking into account the route and the tailwind, because even in the instructions the fuel consumption in the city cycle is declared at the level of 1516 liters per 100 kilometers. But in practice it turned out even more - the computer economizer showed then 20, then 30, or even all 40 liters per 100 kilometers!

It would be foolish to take a dazzling yellow car and then try to describe it simply in words. Therefore, we made the first call to a talented photographer, our old friend Yakub Islamov, who, after listening to us, presented the original idea - to forget about the green grass and drive the handsome man out onto the white sand of one of the beaches of Dubai. The proposal outraged us with its absurdity, but we agreed - why argue with a professional? What came of it is up to you to judge.

Our previous Bentley test drive (Russian Emirates No. 45 for 2011) was released under the heading “What did you want for that kind of money?” And in it we complained about the absence of a touch screen and a place for a mobile phone in a million dirhams . We are glad to inform you - they heard us! Now for the same million dirhams (that's exactly what they ask for the brand new Continental GT V8 S), there is a touch screen, a place for a couple of mobile phones under the dashboard, and a clearly refined navigation system.

By the way, look at the photos and guess what color the fairings of the rearview mirrors are. Black? Do not guess! This, by the way, is the color of Beluga (Beluga gloss). It is understandable - who will pay the money for "just black"? But for mirrors the color of black caviar - always welcome!

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT V8 S