This one probably won't come as too much of a surprise. Take the Bentley Continental GT coupe's revised styling for 2012, apply it to the familiar silhouette of the current GTC convertible and voila: the new Bentley Continental GTC.
Yet like the coupe, there's a lot more going on than you'd initially notice. The front end has a bolder, more purposeful appearance, while the rear is similarly less round and organic than before. Adding subtle visual distinction are new sculpted lines throughout the car made possible thanks to the use of aluminum superforming technology. A wider track is another subtle visual improvement, though it ultimately could mean more in terms of handling.
Inside, the GTC gets the same changes as the GT. The general design is virtually identical, but the switchgear is new and includes a jumbo version of Volkswagen's touchscreen navigation system (the Mulsanne gets a version of Audi's MMI due to packaging differences). The gauges have been revised to house a larger central trip screen and the individual tunnels for each gauge have been replaced by a single large unit for a cleaner appearance.
The biggest improvement inside is the amount of space and storage. The front seats were redesigned to be smaller, which frees up a good inch and a quarter of rear seat space. Bentley is also the first manufacturer besides Mercedes to offer a neck warmer. The center console was previously home to a felt-lined "ashtray" and a shallow bin that doubled as a horrible cup holder -- that was it. The Continental now has a bin under the HVAC controls that's perfect for a cellphone and sunglasses, a deeper bin under the dual armrests and an actual usable cupholder that can also be filled with a veneer-finished sunglasses holder. On a car that's perfectly capable of serving as a daily driver, this is a big change.
As for its convertibleness, the roof features three layers to limit noise and seven "ribs" to "Avoid that hungry cow look of ribs sticking out," as Bentley chassis and powertrain director Brian Gush put it. Bentley also claims that the GTC is now the most structurally rigid convertible on the road.
From a powertrain standpoint, the GTC gets more power out of its 6.0-liter W12 engine. Output is up by 15 horses to 567, while torque is up a more impressive 37 pound-feet to 516. That's still routed to all four wheels, but like recent Audis, the GTC's all-wheel-drive system gets a 40:60 power distribution for improved handling.
The new Bentley Continental GTC was briefly previewed to journalists and customers at Monterey this past weekend, but will make its official debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show. The first customer deliveries will begin late this year.
jb68902 says:
06:50 PM, 08/23/11
This is exceptional. I recently saw the new GT at the dealer...it's subtle changes that surprisingly have a big effect, especially in person. As well, with the new Audi components, the car is lighter, has better 4 wheel drive, and has a longer wheelbase.
Visually, it's very handsome.
The new tech is also a well needed update.
Anyways, this is solid as well.
Kudos to Bentley for taking an already really good car and making it better.
dougtheeng says:
07:09 AM, 08/24/11
gorgeous vehicle.
jmaurx says:
06:10 PM, 08/24/11
Front is a bit over grilled otherwise very nice