2011 Bentley Continental GT 4.0-liter V-8

2011 Bentley Continental GT

According to the guys at Autocar, the upcoming 4.0-liter V-8 will be offered in two flavors: a single turbo variant with 415 horsepower and a twin-turbocharged version with 555 horsepower on tap. In comparison, the current twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W-12 engine in the latest 2011 Bentley Continental GT only produces 567 horsepower despite having a 2.0-liter displacement advantage.

Bentley reportedly has a specific output target of at least 100 horsepower per liter for its engine lineup, but the abundant levels of torque one expects from the brand should also be present. This latter element will be one of the key differences between the Bentley and Audi versions of the engine.

Additionally, Bentley has on multiple occasions stressed its commitment to deliver a powertrain lineup that achieves a 40 percent improvement in CO2 emissions, and in keeping with this commitment the engine should also be flex-fuel capable.