The 2019 Bentley Continental GT Convertible Carries On a Grand Touring Tradition
Some new cars sneak up on us and leave us entirely surprised, while others are as certain as the world turning. The Bentley Continental GT convertible falls into the latter category. The last-generation GT convertible was close to a default choice for wealthy people in search of the grandest of open-topped tourers. While entirely unshocking, the new model-seen here for the first time -looks set to keep up that same good work.
The fact that we've been expecting the GT convertible doesn't diminish our enthusiasm for the handsome reality. Indeed, like the recent Aston Martin DB11 Volante, the Bentley seems to look even better as a convertible than it does as a coupe.
Like the coupe, the open-topped Continental sits on the Volkswagen Group's MSB architecture, which also underpins the Porsche Panamera. Decapitation has added a significant supplement to the coupe's already bulky mass; Bentley says it weighs 375 pounds more than its metal-topped sister, quoting a substantial 5322-pound curb weight. That's still lighter than the last GT convertible we tested, which strained the scales at 5572 pounds despite being fitted with the lighter V-8 engine.
Although the ultimate arrival of the V-8 in the new car is a racing certainty, it is only being launched with the same twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W-12 engine that propels the current coupe. This turbocharged leviathan might be in its second century in dog years-having made its production debut in the Phaeton in 2002-but has been upgraded, tweaked, and tuned over the years and now features separate direct and indirect injection as well as selective cylinder deactivation to turn it into a six-cylinder under gentle use. As such, it makes an entirely adequate 626 horsepower in the convertible, accompanied by a brutish 664 lb-ft of torque.
That is sufficient to make for a compelling lesson in Newtonian principles: while the increase in mass has taken an edge off the coupe's acceleration, it has hardly blunted it. Bentley claims the convertible can blast its way from zero to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds and won't stop accelerating until it reaches a top speed of 207 mph. Drive is dispatched through an eight-speed twin-clutch gearbox with a hefty dual-mass flywheel to help smooth low-speed power delivery. All-wheel drive uses an electronically controlled clutch pack to allow greater variation of torque distribution than the effectively fixed 40/60 front/rear split of the previous Continental.
As with the coupe, the GT convertible rides on air springs with adaptive dampers as standard and will also feature a 48-volt active anti-roll system that uses actuators on each stabilizer bar to help counter lean under cornering loads.
The convertible roof is made from fabric-Bentley never got sucked into the nouveau riche retractable-hardtop fad-with a new ultra-snug sealing system that gives a three-decibel reduction in noise at cruising speeds. The roof can motor itself open or closed in 19 seconds and will operate at speeds of up to 30 mph. The hood will be available in seven colors, but we're most excited by the promise that one of them is a "contemporary interpretation of traditional British tweed." And the car is still a four-seater, although any full-size occupants who climb into the rear will have to be prepared to feel a bit squashed for the novelty of riding in an open-topped Bentley. The front seats also incorporate electric neck warmers.
Other pieces of theater include the central display, which rotates from a veneer panel when the car is stopped to either a 12.3-inch touchscreen for Bentley's version of MMI or, or the more traditionally minded, a trio of chrome-bezeled analog dials: an outside thermometer, a compass, and a clock. In addition to numerous factory trim options, hard-to-please millionaires will also be able to entrust their convertibles to the factory's bespoke commission Mulliner division, although doing so will add substantially to the price.
Yes, the reckoning: Bentley says the Continental GT will start from $236,100 when it goes on sale here early next year. Go on, you're worth it.
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