Bentley Continental V8 car in Detroit

The cars will be unveiled at Detroit's North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 9.

The new 4.0 litre, twin turbocharged V8 Continental GT coupe and GTC convertible offer impressive power-to-emissions in the high luxury sports car sector.

This new Bentley V8 engine delivers maximum power of 373Kw at 6000rpm and an strong peak torque of 660Nm which is available across virtually the entire rev range from 1700 to 5000 rev/min. The combination is said to provide exhilarating performance and effortless power delivery.

Combined with a new close-ratio 8-speed automatic transmission, this translates into a sub-5 second acceleration time for the 0-100km/h sprint and a top speed of over 290km/h.

At the same time, the new V8 Continental models achieve outstanding levels of fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions for the luxury performance sector and are capable of travelling over 800km on a single tank of fuel.

The arrival of the new V8 Continental models fulfils Bentleys environmental commitment to produce a new powertrain that delivers a 40 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions.

The new V8 engine features variable displacement with a highly sophisticated engine management system, ensuring a seamless and imperceptible transition from V8 to V4 mode under light throttle load.

The high-technology V8 also features high pressure direct injection, low friction bearings, thermal management, energy recuperation via the charging system, and innovative turbo charger packaging for greater efficiency.

The instantly recognisable growl of the new 4.0-litre V8 engine sets it apart from its Bentley stablemates. The new V8 engine will be available in two models; the Continental GT and the Continental GTC.