2012 Bentley Continental GTC

Exterior

The design of the 2012 Bentley Continental GTC lends itself to certain styling cues from the GT coupe version that was launched last year.

The more sculpted body and sharp power lines of the model come as a result of advanced production techniques, such as aluminum Super Forming. The sporty and luxurious tone of the car is highlighted by unique jeweled headlamps with LED daytime running lights, as well as the more upright matrix radiator grille and the new ’double horseshow’ rear profile that Bentley first unveiled on their luxury flagship sedan, the Mulsanne. Another first for the Continental GTC is the set of 20" wheels with a pair of 21" variants serving as added options to further encompass the sporting stance of the luxury convertible.

With these changes, Bentley’s uncompromising focus on quality is no more evident than in the clean and high-end design of the Continental GTC.

Interior

As for the interior, Bentley offers a more spacious and luxurious hand-crafted cabin with soft-touch leather hides while also providing an extensive range of wood veneers, cool-touch metals, and deep-pile carpets. 17 standard soft-touch leather hide colors with six color split combinations are available and complemented by a range of seven veneers, all of which come courtesy of Bentley’s renowned group of talented craftsmen and women. The seats of the vehicle carry a distinctive ’cobra style’ to provide posh comfort and aid in enhancing rear cabin space. There’s also a new touchscreen, 30GB infotainment system that introduces advanced satellite navigation with dynamic route guidance, seven-digit postcode entry, and Google Map compatibility. The audio system features the latest wide-frequency Balance Mode Radiator speakers.

Performance

The 2012 Bentley Continental GTC will be powered by a 6.0-liter, twin-turbocharged W12 engine mated to the company’s new QuickShift transmission, allowing for faster gear changes than ever before, cutting shift changes by over 50%. The resulting output of the Continental GTC nets 575 horsepower and 516 lb/ft of torque. All this allows the car to hit 0-60 mph in just 4.5 seconds, 0-100 mph in 10.9 seconds, and a top speed of 195 mph.

Pricing

During the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, Bentley announced that the model will go on sale in late 2011 at a price of $212,800.

Competition

Speak of Bentley and invariably, comparison conversations almost always lead to Rolls-Royce. In this particular case, the sporty nature of the Continental GTC doesn’t have a Rolls-Royce equivalent, thanks to the latter’s proclivity to the best of what luxury craftsmanship has to offer.

One of the most plausible comps for the Bentley Continental GTC is the Aston Martin DBS Volante. Make no mistake, Aston Martin is one of the most desirable automotive brands in the world today, but it still has a ways to go before it can reach the esteemed level of Bentley. However, with cars like the DBS Volante, you can make a case that it’s getting there.

The DBS Volante comes with a 6.0-liter V12 engine that produces 510 horsepower and 420 lb/ft of torque, good enough for a 0-60 mph time of 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 191 mph. These numbers are almost identical to that of the Continental GTC so it’s really a wash when it comes to performance.

It’s unfortunate that the Continental GTC still doesn’t have a price tag attached to it, but if it’s anywhere close to the $286,000 sticker of the DBS Volante, then we’d take the former in a heartbeat, with all due respect to the latter.