After a full year on the market, the new Bentley Continental GT went topless to become the third-generation Continental GTC. Unveiled without much fuss or a big public event, the GTC shares styling cues and underpinnings with the already familiar coupe. However, it also features a new soft-top and a few extra features inside the cabin.

Equally Elegant

Just like its predecessor, the new GTC is identical to the coupe below the waist. This means that it benefits from the Conti GT's muscular yet elegant design. And it looks drop-dead gorgeous with the soft-top folded inside the trunk.

That's mostly because the rear part of the soft-top doesn't have the same shape as the coupe. The "C-pillar" is shorter here, and the roofline doesn't extend toward the rear fascia. As a result, the GTC has a longer deck lid and a less aggressive rear section. At the same time, it boasts a more elegant profile.

Same Cabin Layout and Drivetrain

Not surprisingly, the GTC borrows from the coupe inside the cabin. It sports the same dashboard and seats designs, as well as the Rotating Display infotainment system. Just like in the coupe, it features a 12.3-inch touchscreen housed in a three-sided unit, including veneer that matches the dashboard, the screen itself, and three elegant analogue dials.

Of course, everything is wrapped in soft-touch surfaces and you can choose from many leather and wood veneer options. Opt for the Mulliner options and you can customize the cabin to a bespoke configuration.

The mill delivers 626 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque and pushes the drop-top from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. That's a tenth-second slower than the coupe. Top speed, on the other hand, is similar to the Continental GT at 207 mph.

New Soft-Top and Neckwarmer

Bentley crafted a new "Z-fold" roof system for the third-gen Continental GTC. It features improvements in terms of refinement, offering enhanced protection against road noise thanks to new sealing materials and acoustic treatments. According to Bentley, it provides a three-decibel reduction in overall noise compared to its predecessor at cruising speed, which makes it as quiet as the previous-generation Conti GT coupe.

Like in any modern drop-top, the roof can be operated via a button on the dashboard. Bentley offers seven fabric colors for the new roof, including a tweed finish for the first time.

Riding with the top down will be a more pleasant experience thanks to a newly designed neckwarmer that's both warmer and quieter than in the outgoing model. Seamlessly integrated into the standard heated seats, they also help optimize efficiency and airflow around the headrests. They also feature a new chrome centre vane that stretches the full width of the duct, echoing Bentley’s famous "bullseye" A/C vents.

The new Continental GTC goes on sale in 2019.

2020 Bentley Continental GT Convertible Specifications

Further reading

Read our full speculative review on the 2020 Bentley Continental GT Convertible.

Read our full review on the 2018 Bentley Continental GT.

Read our full review on the previous generation 2017 Bentley Continental GTC.