Bentley's GT Convertible redefines expectations of what a luxury convertible can achieve, writes Craig Donaldson
A good convertible can provide for an amazingly different driving experience. Depending on the amount of time, money and engineering that a manufacturer has put into transforming one of their conventional offerings into a convertible model, driving with the top down can range from feeling like a dog getting buffeted on the back of a ute to one of heightened sensory driving pleasure via a markedly improved visual and aural experience.
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I have driven convertibles at both ends of the scales, and Bentley's GT Convertible definitely sets the standard at the latter end of the scale. Franz-Josef Paefgen, Chairman and chief executive of Bentley Motors, said of the GTC when it was originally released in 2006: "It will appeal to many different customers - people who are tired of driving sports cars that require too much effort; people who want to move up from more standard convertibles; and people who want to make a statement about what they drive, yet still own a car that they can use every day of the year."
The GTC delivers on all these points. It is a formidably competent and capable car under all driving conditions. Despite weighing in at almost 2.5 tons, it makes the whole driving experience effortless: the handling is remarkably responsive, the ride is poised and comfortable while it delivers consummate performance with ease and grace. And this is all done in a smooth, quiet, bespoke style.
There are too-numerous-to-mention examples of the amount of time, money and engineering that Bentley has put into the GTC. The roof, for example, is a state-of-the-art three-layer construction, with a thicker, more padded outer layer than is used in any other convertible. The result is superb acoustic-damping fabrics, and at 100km/h, the GTC's cabin is as quiet as a Mercedes S-Class.
On the inside, comfort and opulence abound. The generous lashings of natural wood veneers, leather hides and chrome blend together peerlessly, and quality and attention to detail is evident everywhere you look. It takes some Bentley employee (who is obviously big on attention to detail) approximately eight hours to trim each steering wheel, for example, which is double-stitched by hand.
Sitting under the bonnet of the GTC is a marvel of engineering: a 6-litre twin-turbocharged W12 (two V6s banked together) engine, which is capable of producing some phenomenal performance figures. Think Porsche 911 territory. Being owned by Volkswagen, Bentley has benefited greatly from German engineering, and this W12 is the most compact 12-cylinder engine in the world.
Bentley's GTC redefines expectations of what a luxury convertible can achieve.
Bentley's GTC by the numbers
Power and torque: 412kW@6100rpm, 650Nm@1600-6100rpm
Top speed: 312km/h (roof up) or 306km/h (roof down)
Fuel consumption: 16.6 litres per 100 km
Price: $426,128
