We spend a few days behind the wheel of the latest Bentley Continental GTC, a high-performance leviathan with the capacity to impress no matter the weather
Words: Paul Guinness Images: Gerard Hughes
Unless you’re lucky enough to live in southern Europe or sunnier climes elsewhere, any convertible you buy will have to cope with hostile weather conditions on a regular basis. Here in the UK, November can bring just about any mix of early wintry weather, although for 2019 the trend was rain. Heavy rain followed by more of the same. And so if an upmarket new convertible manages to impress against that kind of a backdrop, imagine how much of a delight it will be when the rain ceases, the sun shines and the hood can finally be lowered.
During my brief stint with the Continental GTC, the rain did stop occasionally, albeit only for brief periods. On the day of our photo shoot, we managed to grab an hour-long window of opportunity between heavy showers, during which time I busied myself with cleaning the car and drying it off once again, whilst photographer Hughes set about positioning his camera and lighting. Halfway through the shoot, the rain returned with a vengeance, the hood was raised once again and your ever-patient magazine duo completed the photographic task while becoming increasingly sodden. Still, that’s all part of the glamour – or otherwise – of the job.
Before the photo shoot took place, however, the latest-spec GT Convertible had already managed to prove itself over a couple of days of mixed driving, coping with extreme rain and flooded roads with aplomb, whilst still managing to offer highly impressive levels of grip and roadholding no matter what the surface conditions were. We’ll come to that in more detail further on, as this latest sporting Bentley’s technical specification is truly impressive. First though, let’s have a brief introduction to our particular test car and its impressive array of extra-cost options.
Even if they shy away from ticking any of the options boxes when ordering a brand new Continental GT Convertible, UK customers are still looking at a hefty outlay of £176,000. This is a seriously upmarket convertible, which explains why it’s not exactly inundated with obvious rivals. The Mercedes-Benz AMG-GT Roadster costs from £152,000 and the Ferrari Portofino is listed at £166,000, while the Rolls-Royce Dawn is radically more expensive at £282,000. To compare such models, however, seems almost pointless, as each offers its own distinct solution to the upmarket convertible conundrum – and the end result is a quartet of very different automotive personalities.
In the case of the Bentley, the emphasis isn’t just on outright power and performance, as this is a machine that also oozes sophistication, style and luxury – both inside and out. And with most buyers of the Continental not being shy when it comes to personalisation and extra-cost options, it was only appropriate that our particular test car came extremely well-equipped. The optional Mulliner Driving Specification pack (at £10,045) brings such desirable features as 22-inch five-spoke black alloys, quilted upholstery, embroidered door trims, indented leather headlining and sports pedals. The Touring Specification (at £6290) adds lane assist, adaptive cruise control, night vision and a heads-up display to the mix, while the Front Seat Comfort Spec (at £4005) brings adjustable cushion length and adjustable side bolsters, as well as seat ventilation and massage functions.
The list goes on, as our test Bentley also benefits from mood lighting (a £1510 extra), which means some extra on-board ambience as well as illuminated treadplates. Rather more useful, however, is the City Specification option (£4020), which incorporates such practicalities as automatic dimming mirrors, traffic sign recognition, hands-free boot opening and a brilliantly effective top-view camera that helped to make light work of manoeuvring this leviathan of a convertible into tight spaces.
Combine all of the aforementioned extras with a ‘Naim for Bentley’ premium audio system and a rotating dashboard display and we end up with a fully-loaded test vehicle retailing at exactly £213,235.
The latest GTC is, of course, identical in most respects to the new Continental GT coupé that first appeared in 2018, aside from its superbly engineered hood that takes just 19 seconds to lower or raise, and which can be operated at speeds of up to 30mph. It’s an impressive design, being swift and quiet in operation. Inevitably though, given the extra chassis stiffening required to create an impressively rigid convertible, there’s a penalty to pay in terms of kerb weight, with the GT Convertible’s extra 100kg or so taking the latest soft-top Bentley to around the 2400kg mark.
The GTC’s platform is a reworked version of what can be found under the current Porsche Panamera, although the requirement from the outset for Bentley to offer a convertible meant this was taken into account at the earliest design stage. Compared with the previous-generation GT Convertible, the latest model’s hood intrudes less into the cabin and has only a marginally negative effect on the car’s aerodynamics.
First impressions of the latest sporting Bentley inevitably revolve around its sheer scale, as this is a seriously big machine. At 4850mm (15ft 11ins) in length, it’s only fractionally longer than the previous GTC, but its width of 1964mm (6ft 5.3ins) certainly gives it extra presence, as does the new model’s dramatically imposing grille and brightwork. Despite only a moderate increase in overall length, the GTC’s wheelbase is 100mm (4ins) longer than before, which results in the front wheels being further forward and the car benefiting from improved proportions and a shorter overhang.
Under the bonnet is, of course, Bentley’s version of the VW Group’s familiar 6.0-litre W12, albeit now heavily re-engineered and featuring both direct and indirect fuel-injection (to spread torque and cut CO2 emissions) as well as variable valve timing and a host of other technical refinements. The conclusion is an engine that’s more efficient than before despite pumping out a mighty 626bhp at 6000rpm, as well as an astonishing 664lb.ft. of torque – figures that comfortably exceed even the most powerful versions of the previous-generation Continental line-up. All that power is fed through a new eight-speed twin-clutch transmission, which offers a choice of fully automatic or ‘paddle’ changes according to your preference.
As before, the GT Convertible comes as standard with four-wheel drive, although it’s a system usefully more advanced than that of its predecessor. Most of the time, the latest model offers rear-wheel drive, but when necessary will divert up to 38% of its torque to the front wheels when in ‘Bentley’ or ‘Comfort’ suspension settings, or up to 17% when ‘Sport’ is selected. The sophisticated chassis electronics determine what is required in terms of torque distribution, with the car also benefiting from the same three-chamber air suspension units as the GT coupé and Porsche Panamera.
Climbing aboard the GTC, relaxing into the perfectly contoured driver’s seat and gazing around the cockpit is itself a rewarding experience. The company’s designers have done a top job of ensuring the latest Continental is thoroughly modern in its interior aesthetics, yet with an unmistakable Bentley twist. The dashboard and centre console, for example, are an ergonomic masterpiece in terms of their layout, with premium-quality controls being perfectly placed for maximum convenience, complemented by the rotating touch-screen that’s commendably simple to use. The beautifully finished Liquid Amber veneer trim, meanwhile, not only provides a fitting final touch to the dashboard, but also impresses with the way it sweeps seamlessly round to the front doors, running their entire length in a tapering style and providing a wonderful contrast to the two-tone (Portland and Burnt Oak) leather trim fitted to our test car.
The various extra-cost options that are also a feature of this particular GT Convertible enhance the experience still further, especially the novelty of ventilated front seats complete with multi-mode massage function. Cruising at motorways speeds whilst having your lower back either gently caressed or quite rigorously pummeled is an experience I’m more than happy to repeat in the future.
As for the rest of the latest GTC’s driving experience… well, let’s just say that it more than lives up to expectations. With 626bhp on tap, this is obviously a very, very quick car, with a 0-60mph sprint time of just 3.7 seconds to its credit. Even more impressively, it will hit 100mph from standstill in a mere eight seconds, which means it’s very nearly a match for the more slippery-shaped GT coupé.
Those kinds of figures look great on paper, but could be a potential nightmare if the car’s chassis wasn’t up to the job. The truth, however, is that Bentley’s engineers have done a brilliant job of eliminating the chassis flex and scuttle shake that are so often present in big convertibles, with the torsional strength and rigidity of the new GTC ensuring it feels taut and reassuringly capable at all times. A heavy right foot sees the Continental being thrust forward in supercar-like style, the speed mounting at an astonishing rate as the car makes the most of the impressively smooth changes through its eight-speed transmission. The scenery becomes a blur and the Bentley keeps on accelerating, quickly blasting its way to the kind of speeds that could result in an instant driving ban if your right foot stayed firmly pressed.
Here’s the thing, though: at all times, the GT Convertible feels utterly ‘planted’, with the kind of drama-free on-road behaviour that proves just how capable it truly is. There are no issues with torque steer even when accelerating hard from a virtual standstill; and even on rain-soaked roads, once the traffic clears and it’s possible to make the most of what’s on offer, the car grips like few others, its brilliantly effective all-wheel drive set-up transferring torque forwards and ensuring adhesion to the road is the number one priority at all times. Cornering is roll-free, combined with no loss of traction or deviation from the chosen line even when conditions are less than perfect. And yet at all times, the Bentley’s ride quality remains firm but cosseting, with a surprising level of suppleness for a machine designed for class-leading handling.
Equally enjoyable is the fact that this is no high-powered handful. The GT Convertible is a car that’s just as happy pottering around town at 29mph as it is powering its way towards Bentley’s claimed top speed of 207mph. And that’s important, because when the hood’s down and you find yourself in more of a ‘cruising’ than a ‘bruising’ mood, there’s nothing finer than settling into that massage-providing driver’s seat and enjoying the highly capable heating system, incorporating neck warmers built into the head restraints up front. Even in the middle of winter, with outside temperatures in the low single figures, the GTC is capable of keeping its occupants warm and cosy with its beautifully engineered hood in the lowered position. And, of course, hood-down is also the optimum choice for making the most of the Bentley’s glorious exhaust note, the murmur of the engine switching to an instant roar whenever the accelerator is pressed into urgent action.
Hood-up, however, is how we spent most of our few days with the GT Convertible featured here, thanks to the depressingly wet conditions of the time. But once again, it’s a credit to Bentley that its latest convertible involves no real compromises, aided by the design and execution of that hood. The leather headlining of this particular car helps to isolate its occupants from the torrential rain above their heads, while the impeccable fit and finish of the trim around the hood means it’s all too easy to forget that you’re actually aboard a convertible. Noise suppression is impressive, as indeed are the car’s levels of overall refinement.
Bear all that in mind, and it’s possible to look upon the latest Continental GTC as one of – if not the – finest all-weather, high-performance convertible in the world. To describe it as highly capable would be to grossly underestimate its sheer brilliance, although like everything in life it’s not without fault. We could argue, for example, that for a car of such generous proportions, rear-seat passengers might expect rather more legroom; and with the hood being stowed fully out of sight when in the lowered position, it’s inevitable that the GTC’s boot space suffers as a result, with the relatively narrow boot aperture (due to the width of the rear lights) being another slight frustration.
To criticise what is essentially an upmarket 2+2 in such a way is rather unfair, however, as those who demand new-Bentley spaciousness will inevitably be looking towards the Bentayga or the latest Flying Spur instead. Meanwhile, the current GT Convertible manages to combine awe-inspiring power with exemplary levels of handling and grip, plus all the thrills of top-down entertainment when weather conditions allow. So is it the best high-powered convertible on sale today? Quite possibly… and not just when the sun’s shining.
