The 2012 Bentley New Continental GTC Convertible offers traditional luxury in a convertible body with an appalling amount of power. Bentley has offered its usual hyper-luxurious interior, with a simple canvas roof to distract people from the massive twin turbo W12 under the hood and ridiculously responsive handling.
The Bentley New Continental GTC Convertible sports a 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12 which boasts 567 horsepower and moves this beast from zero to 60 mph in only 4.5 seconds. It is capable of ultimately reaching a top speed of 195 mph, but don't blame Bentley when you get pulled over. This car already attracts enough attention as it is, without testing maximum speed levels. Naturally, fuel economy is awful, but Bentley includes their Flex-Fuel system, which lets the GTC run off of gasoline or E85 bio fuel. While it will not improve mileage much, it will burn a cleaner fuel source, which is good news for environmental enthusiasts. The 6-speed ZF transmission shifts smoothly to keep the power coming. The four-wheel independent suspension and computer-controlled air shocks cannot hide the fact that the GTC is a very heavy car, with a gross weight of around 5,501 pounds, but it does a good job of keeping the car nimble and responsive on corners.
The interior is everything that you would expect from its name, with a wide variety of standard features to satisfy even the hardest to please technophiles. Not to mention, as with most other Bentleys, drivers can choose from a ton of options and color combinations that will make each GTC unique. The touch screen is 8", and very simple and easy to use so you don't have to take your eyes off the road once you are used to it. However, it does combine a lot of functionality, like navigation, climate control and music, which may seem a little too busy for some. The seats have been slimmed down compared to other Continental models, allowing 36mm more room for the back seats. While it still is not all that comfortable to ride in the back for long periods of time, it is admirable that Bentley took every effort to at least try to make it comfortable. If safety is a concern, this car offers all the features you would expect to offer peace-of-mind. Plus, with how heavy it is, the chance for rollover is unlikely.
The 2012 Bentley New Continental GTC is a Bentley for the younger crowd. The convertible top, huge engine and all-wheel drive, are all ingredients of a fun roadster, but when put into a heavy and ultra-luxurious package like this, it becomes something quite special.