Bentley GT V8

The Bentley GT first debuted in 2003, the year I began to test drive cars, and in the history of happy happenstance, I spent quite a lot of time cruising in what was then an entirely new category of supercar. It was early days of fuel economy discussions, and the GT only came with a W12 engine, which delivers next-level power. But next-level power comes with a price as well as extra gas guzzled per gallon, and as times shift, the V8 has evolved into a keenly engineered contender worth considering, still bold in performance but every-so-slightly discounted and fuel-saving. Back in 2003, Bentley was also sorely behind on anything that resembled infotainment, and it’s made major strides in its system, a big feat for a small bespoke carmaker to navigate.

The Bentley Continental GT V8 starts at $220,000, and is officially a modern classic.