2014 Bentley Continental GT V8 S, lettered excess: Motoramic Drives

I’m not really sure why the term “stretching its legs” was ever applied to cars — cars don’t have legs—but, for lack of a better term, I guess, that’s what my co-driver and I were doing with the Bentley’s new 521-hp Continental GT V8 S as we bombed down a lonely California highway between the mountain town of Julian and Palm Springs. The speedometer read in kilometers per hour, so we’re not sure exactly how fast we were going (that’s the story and I’m sticking to it), but suffice it to say that speeds were deep into the triple digits. The steering had come alive and the desert furnishings were passing in a blur, yet the 5,060-lb luxo-coupe was planted to the pavement as if with a vacuum seal.

Finally, it felt like we were going fast.

So it is with modern day Bentleys. Every last one of ‘em. In a Miata, 60 miles per hour can be thrilling, but in cars this big and fast it takes a heady clip to get your heart rate up. And so we charged down this smooth, sun-drenched (and thankfully, cop-free) stretch of asphalt, savoring the true meaning of the term “grand touring.”

The $199,225 Continental GT V8 S is the fourth model in Bentley’s prolific Continental coupe and convertible range. Price-wise, the GT V8 S splits the difference between the 500-hp, “entry-level” GT V8 ($187,425) and the 576-hp, 12-cylinder GT W12 ($205,025). If you want the convertible versions of each, prepare to cough up another $19,000 or so, depending on model; the GT V8 S convertible starts at $219,925.

Topping off the Continental range are the sport-tuned GT Speed coupe ($223,625) and convertible (246,425), which bring the 621-hp W-12 engine and a host of performance tweaks, including stiffer springs and bushings, lowered suspensions, retuned steering and shock absorbers, and unique throttle and transmission calibrations.

We bring up the GT Speed because GT V8 S effectively adds all the Speed’s performance extras to the cheaper, lighter and more fuel-efficient V8 model. Sure, the Speed has an extra 100 or so hp, but otherwise the differences between the V8 S and the Speed are paltry: while the V8 S has 20-inch wheels and a quad tailpipe design, the Speed has 21-inch wheels and oval pipes, and so forth.