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2014 Bentley Continental GT V8 S Convertible

There are few things in this world I enjoy more than an enthusiastic drive down tree-lined backroads on a warm summer evening. If you're familiar with the geographic location of Detroit, you won't be shocked to learn that we don't have the sort of very-involving roads found all throughout California and other gorgeous parts of the country, but we still have some stretches of pavement that can be pretty darn fun when driven in the right car. The vast majority of our scenic roads, however, are of a more relaxed nature. And that's why, despite my tendency to prefer high-strung hot hatches above all, I will never say no to a big, fast convertible during the warm season.
As far as said big, fast convertibles go, perhaps none is more exquisite than the 2014 Bentley Continental GT V8 S Convertible, pictured here in the striking shade of St. James Red. Not long after returning from my trip across the pond to drive Bentley's V8-powered Flying Spur sedan, I was given the chance to sample another one of its eight-cylinder wares, this one carrying less heft, offering a smidge more power, and, oh yeah, a roof that neatly stows behind the rear seats.
As luck would have it, the weather for my Conti weekend was the absolute definition of perfection. And so I took to those sweeping, tree-lined roads way outside of Detroit to see how this Bentley's "S" badge improves upon the lovely GT V8 Convertible I drove last year. Hard work, but somebody's gotta do it.

2015 Bentley Flying Spur V8

Despite Bentley's reputation as a holier-than-thou, ultra-luxury brand, at the end of the day, the Big B is still a business. As such, ongoing trends like powertrain downsizing and model range expansion are more prevalent at Bentley than ever. Just look at the Continental range - what started as the GT W12 has expanded into the GTC W12, GT V8, GT V8 S, GTC V8, GTC V8 S, GT Speed and GTC Speed. Talk about "have it your way."
But there's good reason for that. So many of these vehicles, despite their hand-crafted, bespoke nature, are all - gasp! - plug-and-play exercises that allow Bentley to appeal to the broadest range of upper-lux buyers, while keeping development costs relatively low. It's a move that's indeed worked, the company managing to post healthy sales increases year after year. And that's only going to get better, following the launch of the Flying Spur sedan last year, not to mention the upcoming, highly anticipated SUV that's in the works. As Kevin Rose, Bentley's member of the board for sales, marketing and aftersales told me recently, "The best years are yet to come."
To further expand an already growing range, I recently hopped a plane to London to experience the second member of the Flying Spur family - the V8. This less-powerful Spur offers better fuel efficiency and a lower staring price, while not compromising any of the brand's core values of luxury and refinement above all. But to paraphrase what executive editor Chris Paukert said when he drove the Conti GT V8 in 2012, this is indeed The Thinking Man's Flying Spur. Here, less really is more.

Mansory Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible is gaudy and green to the max

Mansory is all about excess, and if the Geneva Motor Show were going on, all visitors to its booth would likely need eye protection upon entering. Take this Mansory Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible for an example. The exterior paint may be matte black, but it’s gaudy to the max. ThereÂ’s a body kit in play here, giving the hood, front bumper, side skirts and rear bumper the Mansory edge (or ugly, however you want to look at it). Much of the classy Bentley styling is interrupted here, but the interior is where Mansory really went nuts. That green youÂ’re looking at is called “green chrome-oxite,” and it might just be visible from the International Space Station. The leather is all in-house Mansory work, which is then complemented by carbon fiber. If you like diamond-quilted stitching, youÂ’re in luck. The leather design is literally everywhere it could possibly be, even in places where it makes no sense, like the floor. This Continental GT V8 also has a couple performance modifications, too. Mansory has fitted a high performance exhaust system and fiddled with the ECU for a little extra power. It now makes 640 horsepower and 656 pound-feet of torque, up handily from the 582 horses and 568 pound-feet of torque it makes in stock form. That lowers the 0-60 mph time by one tenth of a second to 3.8 seconds. Top speed also rises from 198 mph to 205 mph. Finally, you can crest 200 mph in your V8 Continental. Mansory truly leaves no stone unturned in a build like this. Even the engine bay features green accents all over the place. Pricing wasnÂ’t detailed by Mansory, but if youÂ’re one of the few (or maybe just the one?) who actually wants a Bentley in this spec, weÂ’re sure Mansory will put a number out there for you. WeÂ’ve shot a note over to Mansory ourselves to see what this monstrosity of a Bentley conversion costs. ItÂ’s sure to be extravagant. Related Video: