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Xcar calls Continental GT V8 S the best Bentley yet

It wouldn't be fair to describe the Bentley Continental GT V8 S as taking the standard version of the luxury coupe and turning the driving engagement up to 11. That accolade is reserved for the hardcore, stripped-out GT3-R version. Though, not everyone wants to go quite that far. As Xcar Films presents in a new video, being behind the wheel of the S compared to the standard GT is more like listening to music through a quality set of speakers where everything become a little more crisp and clear. Giving the S that extra little bit are a multitude of improvements like a stiffer suspension, tighter steering, a more aggressive body kit and an extra 21 horsepower from its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8. However, the real magic is how Bentley mixes all of the tweaks together into a grand tourer that can work with drivers when they want to have a little fun. Plus, Xcar's fantastic cinematography over some rolling British hills on a wet day provides a great backdrop.

Bavaria-themed Bentley Continental GT Convertible has a blue top and blue interior

The online configurator for the Bentley Continental GT Convertible offers seven different roof colors, but Imperial Blue is not one of them. It's a specialty product only Mulliner could provide, and it's one of the key features of the new Continental GT Convertible Bavaria Edition. Only one example will be built, making it an instant collector item. Envisioned by Bentley Director of Design Stefan Sielaff, the theme for the Bavaria edition is appropriately white and blue in honor of the German region's flag. Officially, the car wears Glacier White paint, an Imperial Blue top, and 22-inch Mulliner Driving Specification wheels. It also has a bright chrome lower bumper grille, and a chrome-bordered Bavarian flag emblem with Mulliner Bespoke White and Light Blue Sport enamel on the front fender. The interior is just as elegantly pretty. Reverse of the exterior, it predominately features Imperial Blue leather with Linen contrast piping and stitching, and a pearly Mulliner Glacier White veneer dashboard. A branded treadplate plaque and flag headrest stitching add extra special touches. Hand-built by Mulliner, the special-edition car will be shown at an exclusive event at the Munich Bentley dealership. There is no mention of a price or which customer will take ownership of the Bavaria Edition.

Bentley's next Mulliner-developed model will celebrate the W12 engine

Bentley demonstrated what Mulliner, its in-house coachbuilding division, is capable of when it unveiled the limited-edition Bacalar in 2020. The convertible was well received, so the British firm is reportedly planning a follow-up model to celebrate (and send off) the W12 engine. Citing an anonymous inside source, British magazine Autocar wrote that Mulliner's next car will arrive as a coupe based on the Continental GT. That doesn't mean it will look like the Continental GT; the Bacalar is an evolution of the convertible Continental yet it wears a different design. Instead, the model will allegedly borrow styling cues from the EXP 100 GT concept (pictured) that Bentley introduced in 2019. While the EXP 100 GT was electric, Mulliner's next car will receive the same 6.0-liter, twin-turbocharged W12 that powers the Bacalar. The mighty engine will be tuned to send about 650 horsepower and 667 pound-feet of torque to the four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, and it will pelt the coupe from 0-60 mph in well under four seconds and on to a top speed of over 200 mph. Several improvements, like a firmer suspension system and huge carbon ceramic brakes, will let drivers make the most of the W12's power. Hand-built, the coupe will carry a base price of at least $2 million before buyers begin personalizing it; nearly every visual part of the car, including the upholstery and the paint, will be customizable. That figure will make it the most expensive car Bentley has ever released. The report adds that production will be limited to 25 units, and we wouldn't be surprised if the full batch is spoken for before the model is unveiled — even if, like the Bacalar, it's only granted "show and display" status in America. If the rumor is accurate, we'll learn more about the car in 2022 and deliveries will begin the following year. This project could move fast; it took Bentley nine months to make the Bacalar a reality. Few-off projects serve several purposes: they generate profit and they help luxury carmakers elevate and solidify their image. This coupe will also represent Bentley's way of sending off the venerable W12 engine and give the world of a preview of the firm's next design language. Related Video: