• HOME
• 
• AUTO LISTINGS
• 
• FINANCE
• 
• NEWS
• 
• DIRECTORY
• 
• REVIEWS
• 
• FORUM
• 
• BLOG
• 

2007 Bentley Continental GTC Road Trip

We drove - the Bentley and I – on a trans-continental journey through the mostbeautiful parts of Western United States. During this trip, we reached some of the highest and lowest parts of the country, temperate and bone-baking heat. We went from the most serene parts of California's wine country to the neon-lit Las Vegas strip. At the end of two intensive days spanning over 1,000 miles of driving, it became clear that this was one very special automobile and one that suited every condition.

There are few cars in the world that are as capable, competent and luxuriously appointed as Bentley's Continentals. I say Continentals, as the name has yielded quite the family. These particular cars have given Bentley the ability to push forward as a leader in luxury in the 21st century. Classic techniques and hand

Out of the three Continentals, the GTC looks the best, particularly with its roof down. (Photo: Dominic Fraser, for American Auto Press)

craftsmanship have always been a hallmark of the brand, but an infusion of new-world technology gives its latest products a never-before seen edge. For 2007, Bentley improved on the Continental in the only way possible: removing the roof to create the new GTC Convertible.

No matter how new the car, tradition will always rule with Bentley. The magical folding hardtop might be the darling of the automotive world on Mercedes convertibles,

No need for silly hardtop roofs, as the GTC's fabric top does the trick perfectly. (Photo: Dominic Fraser, for American Auto Press)

not to mention the latest troupe of midsize machines, but you won't find one on a Bentley. The primary reasoning is that the masses of metal would have spoiled the look of the car, roof up or down. The GTC's beautiful downward sloping boat tail would've been replaced by an ungainly slab, and there's yet to be a four-seat hardtop convertible that actually looks elegant. On the contrary, this is hands down one of the best looking and best performing cloth tops in the industry.

What's overhead is an extremely compact design

Big wheels are needed for these 408 mm disc brakes. (Photo: Dominic Fraser, for American Auto Press)

that consists of seven bows enabling greater freedom of design, eliminating that“connect the dots” look, while the roof itself is composed of a triple-layer sandwich of insulated materials that's so good at abating wind and road noise that it's nigh unto impossible to tell you're not in the coupe, especially since it incorporates integrated reading lights for the passengers in back. The GTC was tested roof up and down at its top speed and passed with flying colors, so of course at road speeds this newest of Continentals exhibits no buffeting or whistles – nothing but calm and quiet.

California in summer

Besides the looks and luxury, the best thing about the GTC is the sound... (Photo: Dominic Fraser, for American Auto Press)

isn't the time to be driving around in a magnificent drop top with the roof up, especially not with clear skies overhead. At the touch of a button, the Karmann-designed roof gracefully retracts under the leather-trimmed tonneau cover in 25 seconds. That's not especially quick, but it was determined that if it were made to be any quicker, its operation would look jerky. What the roof may not have in speed, it makes up for in smooth, confident composure.More and more manufacturers, particularly roadsters, are offered with roofs that can be operated at speed, but it's still a rarity in full-size four seaters. This roof is durable enough to be operated at speeds of up to 25 mph, preventing you and three

... no wait, it's the refinement. Even at high speeds, the wind didn't ruffle the author's hair. (Photo: Dominic Fraser, for American Auto Press)

occupants from the embarrassment of gazing eyes when traffic lights go from red to green. It also means having to slow down rather than stop, should the weatherman's predictions be incorrect as they so often are.

Besides the deep-chested wuffle of the engine – barely audible in the GT or Flying Spur – the most noticeable GTC attribute is its isolation from the elements. Lose the roof and you'd think that the wind would be messing up your 'do, but not so in the GTC, especially not with the windows up. Countless hours of time in the wind tunnel allowed Bentley's engineersto tweak the shape of the windscreen to make it as draft free as possible, and their efforts show. The windshield is set at a slightly steeper angle to send the wind over and away

Death Valley is the lowest and hottest place in the United States. The Bentley was cool there too. (Photo: Dominic Fraser, for American Auto Press)

from the cabin at speeds above 150 mph. I'm told that at such speeds its occupants are completely capable of holding a conversation without raising their voices.

But wait, there's more. Because the GTC doesn't have the fastback profile and shape of the coupe, engineers were faced with a problem. With a roof so compact, Bentley should've had an easy enough time fitting everything in its right place, but this wasn't the case due to the intrusions of the air suspension system. So, the rear suspension went back to the drawing board. The result are dampers that are mounted 8.2 inches lower than on the coupe, which creates the necessary room to stow the roof as well as a couple of golf bags.

At this point in time, most car companies would've called it a day, but not Bentley. This is a car from a manufacturer that commits eight human

The amount of skill and effort that goes into crafting the cabin of the GTC is unbelievable... (Photo: Dominic Fraser, for American Auto Press)

hours to stitching together the leather on a steering wheel, so you know that everything else is going to be as perfect as possible. This is why Bentley deemed it necessary to ensure that the GTC drives identically to the GT, a task that is in no way shape or form, small.

The dampers in the air suspension system might be lower mounted and more compact in size, but they can hold the same amount of air as in the hardtop coupe, and as such, they're just as capable of absorbing unruly road imperfections. Even on the sportiest setting, it's nothing short of perfectly comfortable. Because the weight of the roof shifts overall weight distribution – 55/45 in the GTC as opposed to 57/43 in the GT – tweaks were made to thespring rates to balance the car out. The steering rack is also different, having been sourced from the Flying Spur. It's now sharper and is designed to have better depth when positioned straight ahead.

...and probably equals the engineering skill involved in making a twin-turbo W12 engine. (Photo: Dominic Fraser, for American Auto Press)

Great, but what impressed me most was how rigid the thing is.

As a convertible, the GTC feels rock solid, its frame completely free of scuttle shake or flex, where rivals would quiver and bend. On one of the bumpier stretches, one of the Bentley engineers suggested that I stick my index finger in the gap between leather swathed door panel and dashboard to see if I feel anything. In anything else it'd be a lesson in pain, but the GTC's stiffness, delivered through beefed up pillars, sills, rear bulkhead, etc, saved me from being pinched.

Like the rest of the Continental range, the GTC feels utterly unstoppable thanks to the forward thrust of 552 hp from its 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12 engine.Roads that snake up and down Yosemite National Park might not seem like the GTC's home turf, but this rather hefty convertible is more than capable of holding its own as a driving machine.

It's a great surprise to discover that it feels light at the helm, and pliable to mid-corner corrections

Bentley's rigidity is class leading, which aids steering and ride quality. Those are class leading too. (Photo: Dominic Fraser, for American Auto Press)

on decreasingradius turns. With immense grip from its tires and all-wheel drive system, a flat ride and effortless steering, the Continental convertible can deal with turns of all shapes and sizes just as well as it performs cruising duties along the Vegas strip.

To further engage the driver, the GTC comes equipped with a manual shift mode with steering column paddles. On this car, they're actually worth using, accepting orders without delay or jerkiness.

Sitting inside the Bentley drop-top proves to be a familiar experience because it's identical to its two other forms, but it's nothing less than a pleasant surprise every time you hop in. The driver enjoys the best seats in the house, viewing a classic, symmetric dashboard, while all surfaces are finished in hand-stitched leather, inserts of glossy wood, or the knurled metal organ-stop vents.

Personalizing the car might take some time, as the choices are seemingly endless with 17 different colors of leather to choose from and four different types of wood. If you really want to be different, ring up Bentley's Mulliner

Vegas at last! Or, rather, too soon... (Photo: Dominic Fraser, for American Auto Press)

division, which willgladly combine items not on the menu, or even create something altogether unique to fit your very mood.

The only difference with the GTC, when compared to its hardtop sibling, is in the rear quarters which get additional knee room from the scalloped front seatbacks, and slightly different trim details. A keen eye might find that some of the switchgear has been borrowed from Volkswagen, but the layout and feel of the cabin could be nothing other than traditional British luxury.

My only gripe about the Continental was its navigation system. At launch it was a CD-ROM based unit, but it's now been switched over to a much faster acting DVD system. Problem solved.

After two breathtaking days of crossing beautiful South West America behind the wheel of Bentley's latest, arriving at the destination in true style, luxury and comfort, there's really only one conclusion to draw. As a car, the GTC is truly amazing, dealing with whatever the landscape, the road and the skies threw at it. And as a convertible? It's the best in the world, without second thought.

Specifications (Continental GTC):

Page:  1

AUTOMOBILE REVIEWS BY MAKE

Acura  Audi   Bentley   BMW   Buick   Cadillac   Chevrolet   Chrysler   Daewoo   Dodge   Eagle   Ferrari   Ford   Geo   GMC   Honda   Hummer   Hyundai   Infiniti   Isuzu   Jaguar   Jeep   Kia   Lamborghini   Lexus   Lincoln   Lotus   Maserati   Mazda   Mercedes-Benz   Mercury   MINI   Mitsubishi   Nissan   Oldsmobile   Plymouth   Pontiac   Porsche   Saab   Saturn   Scion   Subaru   Suzuki   Toyota   Volkswagen   Volvo