[Video] BMW M8 Competition against Bentley Continental GT

Modern technology has made the phrase “there is no replacement for displacement” outdated. The gearbox also plays a significant role in performance. This is particularly true considering that the engine is only one component of the performance equation. The same may be said for weight and, in this case, the type of all-wheel-drive system.

In this video, Carwow aims to determine which of the two luxurious coupes is faster in a straight line. They paired up the M8 Competition against the Bentley Continental GT in the W12 configuration. The Bavarian luxury gran tourer’s twin-turbo V8 4.4-litre engine, which produces 625 horsepower, is at a disadvantage versus the Crewe models’ powerful 6.0-litre behemoth. With 750 Nm (551 lb-ft) vs 900 Nm of torque (662 lb-ft), the difference is much greater.

The luxury Bentley weighs over 2,200 kg (4,850 lbs), even with its extensive soundproofing and expensive technology. This is nearly twice as much as the BMW M8 Competition’s 1,900 kilograms (almost 4,200 pounds). As opposed to the torque converter of the M8 Competition, the Continental GT sports a dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Both cars used the automatic gearbox settings for the first rolling race, between 50 mph (80 km/h) and the halfway point. The M8 Competition’s gearbox gives BMW an easy victory as it engaged far more quickly than the Bentley’s. The rolling race repeats with the gearboxes in manual mode, and the Continental GT was briefly able to keep up. Thus, the M8 Competition Coupe had yet another victory.

The outcome of the ensuing rolling race, which began at 30 mph (48 km/h), was different since the Bentley was faster at the start and had a significant lead that the M8 Competition could not offset. However, the final exchange of this combat, when the M8’s luminous discs were hard braking, may have been the most impressive.

Interestingly, the last comparison was a braking test starting at 100 mph (161 km/h). Since the heavier car needed less space to stop, the outcome might surprise you. The Continental GT Speed was the first to stop, despite towing an additional 300 kg (662 lbs) of weight.