Bentley is giving the big, luxurious Continental GT Coupe and GTC convertible a sportier edge with new S models.
542hp twin-turbo V8 engine
Both cars get the same 542hp twin-turbo V8 as the regular Continental GT, but alas not the amazing 6.0 turbo W12 engine. That may seem a disappointment to some, but when you can crack a 4.0-second 0-100km/h run, you probably don't really need much extra.
On the outside, you'll be able to tell a GT S apart from its humbler (relative term...) cousins by a black mesh grille and black finish for all the exterior chrome.
None more black
In fact, all of the exterior trim, bar the Bentley badge and the model lettering, gets a black finish, as do the standard 22-inch alloys (you can get them in a bright alloy finish as well, and there are optional 21-inch wheels too). There are red brake callipers peeping out from behind the rims.
Inside, the GT S and GTC S get a two-tone cabin colour scheme, with lashings and lashings of 'Dinamica' man-made suede for the steering wheel, gear lever, seat cushion and seat backrest. More or less everything else is leather.
Those seats can be optionally quilted, and you can stitch a Bentley 'B' into almost any surface should you wish.
Active anti-roll
On the mechanical front, the GT S and GTC S get the Bentley Dynamic Ride anti-roll system. By generating up 1,300Nm in 0.3 seconds, motors within the anti-roll bars actively compensate for cornering forces to minimise body roll under hard cornering, while also, says Bentley, improving ride comfort at cruising speeds by decoupling the left- and right-hand wheels from each other.
The S models are designed, says Bentley, to complement the recently-launched Azure models. The idea being that if you want something sporty and rapid, you buy an S whereas if you're more into 'wellness' (Bentley's word, not ours) then you buy an Azure.
Or, as Bentley customers aren't exactly short of a bob, you probably just buy one of each...