Bentley’s->ke15 footballer vehicle, the Continental GT->ke401, might be getting a few upgrades from its new sister company. The company might equip the new V8 with Audi’s dual-clutch S Tronic transmission. Testing is currently underway to see how well the transmission works in the V8 GT.

The biggest challenger facing engineers is the underbody of the vehicle. The six-speed ZF gearbox is a different shape than the S Tronic, meaning the underbody of the GT will need to be reworked. Still, the benefits of having such a transmission are numerous, such as a better driving experience that could help Bentley market the GT to a more sporting audience.

“The V8 will find a new audience for us. There are sports car enthusiasts out there, particularly in the US, who won’t buy a sports car unless it’s powered by a V8,” says Bentley’s new sales and marketing boss Alasdair Stewart to Autocar.

The price of the V8 is likely to be set below the W12 and it will go on sale in early 2012.

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