Bentley brings even faster Continental V8 S to Detroit

Bentley first showed the Continental V8 S at the Frankfurt Motor Show a few months ago, but the slightly more powerful V8 Continental makes its North American debut in Detroit. More horsepower is always welcome, and the handsome new grand tourer delivers precisely 21 more.

While Bentley has been concentrating on W12-powered Speed models -- even suggesting that it might be an entertaining drive on a racetrack -- the V8 range has been bolstered by its own modest performance enhancements: 21 more horsepower and 15 more lb-ft of torque bring the 4.0-liter engine's figures up to 521 and 502, respectively. The latter is generated at a mere 1,700 RPM, Bentley is proud to point out.

That's a 0-60 time in just 4.3 seconds, so maybe that trackday footage might not be so farfetched.

The V8 S gets black-painted lower splitters, sills, and diffusers, along with unique 20-inch wheels that hide red calipers. Inside is, according to the press release, "a unique contrast centre-stripe for the hide-trimmed roof lining, matched to the colour of the main hide." We'll just have to see it to believe it.

Alongside the new Continental the Mulsanne also gets a Comfort Specification, because evidently last year's Mulsanne was such a vinyl-cosseted torture chamber. The seats are now filled with duck down, and being the Bentley flagship we'll leave you to guess what exotic species of duck has been employed. An Entertainment Specification adds onboard Wifi -- a trick no doubt gleaned from the overseers at Audi -- and a DVD player with 20GB hard drive. New paint and new fitted luggage help "extend the Mulsanne palette," according to Bentley.

By Blake Z. Rong