Bentley points out that while the previous generation Continental GTC that premiered in 2006 was elegant and understated, the sharper radii and assertive stance of the new model delivers a more contemporary and muscular presence. Advanced manufacturing techniques produce aluminium front wings without the need for seams or welds creating the look and feel of a coachbuilt car.
Twenty-inch wheels are standard, but for the first time on a GTC, three styles of 21-inch wheel are available as an option.
“The GTC has always been the most emotional model in the Continental range and a showcase for Bentley design. With its tailored soft top, the GTC is a pure British convertible true to those classic Bentleys of the past. However, the technology, performance and overall design excellence invested in this model means that we are now writing a new chapter for the Bentley convertible driver.” said Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and Chief Executive, Bentley Motors.
The hand-crafted cabin is as worthy of Royalty with soft-touch leather hides, an extensive range of wood veneers, cool-touch metals and deep-pile carpets. There are 17 standard soft-touch leather hide colours with six colour split combinations, complemented by a range of seven veneers, all produced by Bentley’s talented craftsmen and women.
The tailored, multi-layered fabric hood is complemented by acoustic glass and under-body panels, for optimum noise isolation.
If automatic seat-belt presenters seem over the top, how about the Bentley-designed Neck Warmer for that occasional cold and windy day when a convertible seems like a bad idea?
Bentley’s advanced all-wheel drive system features a new 40:60 rear torque bias (compared with 50:50 of the original GTC) minimising understeer during hard cornering and allowing the likes of Jeremy Clarkson to drive a tad more spiritedly than you would expect a typical Bentley driver to.
The powerful 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12 engine works with the new QuickShift transmission enabling faster gear changes than ever before. Power output is raised from 560 PS to 575 PS (567 bhp / 423 kW) and the famed Bentley ‘wave of torque’ has been increased by a further 50 Nm to 700 Nm (516 lb ft).