The Continental GT is an offshoot of the
Bentley Continental Flying Spur four door saloon that first made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show of 2005.
Bentley Motors is proud to announce the introduction of the Continental GTC. Introduced late in the same year, ad earmarked for production to begin in late 2006, this new luxury 2+2 convertible was programmed to be the final star in the
Bentley Continental model range, which began with the introduction of the
Bentley Continental GT in 2003.
Little major domestic body changes were made to the GTC, apart from the obvious one that the car is a soft top. It had a new and fairly dramatic addition of a plastic grille fitted at the front, in place of the traditional chrome. The logic behind this piece of thinking is that the grille would break apart if the car happened to hit a pedestrian! While this innovation was a break from tradition going back several decades, the GTC kept faith with
Bentley tradition, as far as the car’s convertible roof was concerned. The Continental GTC proudly boasted a roof made in soft fabric as well as a heated glass rear screen. The roof was readily stowable below a tonneau upholstered in hide, and so neatly and efficiently that the rear set passengers never noticed the difference, and barely making a dent in the boot’s ample storage space. When taking a close and objective look at the car from fairly close range, it is fairly obvious that the Continental GTC was designed for a particular customer. These are discerning people who want a mixture of performance and comfort, combined with the class and excitement of owning and driving a car that embodies all the benefits of the of classic open-top motoring that only a car of Bentley’s sophistication is capable of providing.
As you would expect, the Continental GTC shares the rich interior specifications with the rest of her stable mates. Leather and wood veneers feature very strongly in the car’s interior trim providing a mixture of contemporary design laced with all the traditional
Bentley features.
The GTC is no lightweight, but this fact is more than outweighed by the power of its huge engine, giving the car levels of power to provide levels of performance capable of matching anything that her European and Trans Atlantic rivals can provide. Powered by a
Volkswagen built six liter engine, i2 cylinder engine capable of reaching from nothing to sixty miles per hour (0-97km/h) in five seconds and reach ing a top speed of 190 miles per hour (304 km/h). Indeed the GTC’s engine is pretty unusual, as it is a twin turbo version of the
Volkswagen Phaeton’s W 12, which has been situated in the front of the car’s front axle.
Featuring an ultra-stiff body structure and advanced air suspension, the Continental GTC displays in its look as well as its performance all the exhilarating characteristics of the Continental family, both in its performance as well as its dynamic handling. Suspension systems also bear a strong resemblance to the cars
Volkswagen origins, especially when it comes to the front and rear multiple links and air spring system.
Although the 2005 Continental GTC and indeed all of the GT series are at the lower range of the
Bentley ladder, this no way represents a reduction in standards. The car is both powerful and luxurious, and make for a very smooth ride for the drivers and passengers over any distance. A car to be in and to be seen in.
The Continental GTC is the latest in a long line of distinguished and glamorous convertibles from Bentley Motors. This string of powerful open-top Bentleys has been a continuous thread waven through the company's proud heritage. The Continental GTC continues the tradition of grand touring cars combining style, power and performance with the exhilaration of open-air motoring.
Engine
Engine: 6.0 Liter twin-turbocharged 12-cylinder
Maximum Power: 552 hp at 6100 rpm
Maximum Torque: 479 lb ft at 1600 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic with manual shift facility
Performance
0-60 mph Acceleration: 4.8 seconds
Maximum Speed (Roof Up): 195 mph
Maximum Speed (Roof Down): 190 mph
Safety/Security
• All-wheel drive
• Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and traction control (ASR)
• Driver and front passanger air bags with "SMART" passenger sensing system
• Front and rear seat-mounted side-impact air bags
• Roll-Over Protection System (ROPS)
Exterior Featurues
• Exterior paint color from Arnage range - Procelain
• 20 inch 7-spoke alloy wheels - chromed
• Electronically operated carvas convertible roof
• Bi-Xenon Headlamps with integrated washer jets
• Electronically controlled air suspension
• Power lauching doors for easy entry / exit
• Mulliner allouw fuel filler cap
• Power closing boot
Interior Features
• Keyless entry and keyless ignition
• Two-tone, hide trimmed multi-function steering wheel
• DVD based setallite navigation system with 7 inch color information display screen
• Bluetooth rSAP telephone system with privacy handset
• 14 position electronically adjustable front seats with seat heating
• Lumber massage to both front seats
Images were reprinted with permissions from original author Karl C! Content was written by Albert Hecht for www.sport-cars.org only and you MAY NOT copy, distribute or use this page's content for any commercial or non-commerical purpose without written permission of this site owner and photos authors!
April 5, 2008, 1:33 pm
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