The Power and the Glory of Bentley and Audi

BENTLEY

The question is as predictable as a Bill O’Reilly commentary on Obamacare. Within seconds of finding out I write automotive reviews, people ask, “So which car’s your favorite?”

Leaving aside the idea of a LaFerrari, Porsche 918 or McLaren P1, I have a stock answer: The Bentley Continental Convertible.

So it was with relish that I watched the temperature climb into the 60s during a recent January weekend and dropped the top on the latest V8 S model of the bestseller from Crewe.

Here are the reasons I so love it:

1. The Continental looks simply smashing: imposing and expensive, elegant yet just slightly over the top. The V8 S’s blacked out grill, subtle ground effects and hunkered stance only emphasizes the Bentley’s coiled menace.

2. Opening the door overwhelms your olfactory organs with the unmistakable essence of superbly trimmed and stitched leather hides, which cover almost every surface. Donated by a herd of pampered bovines, there is hardly a cockpit like it in our modern, mass-produced world. It’s like wearing a custom-made Kiton suit after only ever having shopped at Macy’s. Also, there’s room for four friends and the trunk is useful for a weekend journey, unlike many convertibles with folding metal roofs.

3. The V8 S just might be the sweet spot in the Conti lineup. With 21 more horses and 15lb-ft more torque than the normal V8, the S sits between the V8 and W12 engine’s outputs. Its 4-liters and two turbos generate 521hp and 502lb-ft and motivate 5500 pounds of steel, aluminum and to 60mph in about 4 seconds; more impressive is that it will crack the ton in under 10. While the V8 only weighs about 100 pounds less than the 12, all that missing mass is over the front axle, thereby imbuing the S with a measure of alacrity in turns missing from its brethren.

4. The bent eight simply sounds sportier than the bigger engine, with a more complex, engaging backbeat to its ministrations—here enhanced by a sports exhaust option. To get the most out of the woofly mechanical symphony, drop the multilayer top (at speeds up to 20mph). Roof in place, this convertible is functionally as quiet as the hard top.

5. It rides well over the pocked roads of the metro area, yet when you stiffen the shocks does a passable impression of a sports car.

6. All wheel drive means you can use the Conti year round; not only did I enjoy the brief burst of spring-like weather but also took it skiing. The V8 S simply demolished I-70’s passes, its twin blowers making up for the thin air and the car’s commanding visage moving left-lane dawdlers aside like the hand of Zeus shoving mortals off to Hades.

7. In a world of six-figure Audis, BMWs and Mercedes, the Continental still stands out as indisputably special.

8. It’s a bloody Bentley!

2015 Bentley Continental V8 S Convertible

EPA ratings: 14/24mpg; 17mpg combined

Price as tested: $257,895

AUDI

The new S3—a hot-rodded version of Audi’s very successful entry-level four door—is not only a well resolved sports sedan in its own right but also a fond reminder of the original B5-series S4, a vehicle of almost exactly the same size.

While Europeans get three- and five-door hatch versions, we must make due with only the trunked edition. This isn’t such a bad thing, as it is clearly the best looking version of the 3, with taut lines, exquisite detailing in the lights and grill and a buttoned-down, no-nonsense stance.

Inside, the S3 carries over the restrained yet elegant simplicity of all the A3s; most everything you see and touch is of suitably high-quality materials, including the jet thruster air vents and flat-bottom steering wheel. About the only nits are seats that lack the kind of lateral support needed to counter the S3’s high-g cornering capacity and tight back seat accommodations.

The S3’s AE888 2-liter is a beefed up version of the four-cylinder motor that powers everything from various VWs to the forthcoming TT, with outputs of 292 horsepower and a stout 280lb-ft of torque, available at a low, 1,900rpm.

While there is some turbo lag, it is masked to large degree by the intuitive tuning of the standard six-speed paddle-shift twinclutch gearbox. Once boost builds, the S3 roars off, clawing for traction through all four wheels on its way to 60 in just 4.4 seconds and accompanied by a rorty soundtrack that can be enhanced or subdued via a Drive Select system that also adjusts steering weighting, throttle response and (in the case of the test vehicle) ride quality courtesy of the magnetic shock absorbers.

Given the S3’s performance, the ride is actually very composed and smooth—though not that quiet—while in Comfort mode, thanks to those magical dampers. Yet the ride can be stiffened almost instantaneously to create a fiercely tied-down control of body motions when needed.

Steering precision is excellent, and this latest Haldex clutch, front drivebased quattro system transfers power fore and aft much faster than its predecessor. The Audi’s brake performance excels in street use, with superb modulation. Understeer is the S3’s default handling limit, but it happens only at very high speeds on dry surfaces; low-friction surfaces demonstrate more of a willingness to rotate and engage with the driver.

Combining a playful yet practical driving experience with stylish, high quality design, the S3 is a terrific all-season performer, just as its spiritual forebear, the B5 S4, was a decade ago.

2016 Audi S3

EPA ratings: 23/31mpg; 26mpg combined

Price as tested: $52,095

Read more of Isaac Bouchard’s automotive writing at www.coloradoavidgolfer.com and nicedrivz.com.