Test drive Bentley Continental GTC

We are amazed at the triumph of forms and technical progress at the wheel of the new convertible of the British brand

Over the past six years, Bentley has produced over 10 vehicles annually. On the scale of the mass market, this is a mere trifle, but for a luxury suite, the figure is serious. Every year the number of wealthy people in the world is growing, sales of luxury goods are gaining momentum non-stop, and once-piece products are rapidly increasing in circulation. However, the home of the British brand in Crewe, which celebrates its centenary this year, doesn't seem to be overwhelmed.

“Globally, 10 vehicles a year is not much, even for us,” explains Bentley Product Director Peter Guest. - If we distribute this amount across all markets where our brand is represented, it turns out that dozens, maximum hundreds of cars are sold annually in each country. The chances of a Bentley owner meeting another similar vehicle within their home country are minimal. Despite the growing sales figures, it is still a rather rare luxury product. "

Before the full-size Bentayga crossover, the Continental was the most sought-after vehicle in Bentley's lineup. At the same time, about 60% of buyers preferred the coupe body. Apparently, the habit of leading a private lifestyle prevailed over all the advantages of a convertible. Although it is the convertible version that personally seems to me the ideal Gran Turismo.

And it doesn't matter if your favorite silk scarf stayed at home this time. The Continental GTC has its own airy scarf, which is now even quieter and more efficient. Chromed air vents at the base of the head restraints deliver warm air directly to the neck of the driver and front passenger. Feels like there are almost no differences from other convertibles with the same function. Additional heating helps make an open-top ride more comfortable in cold outside temperatures. And of course, there is a windscreen here, which significantly reduces the noise level from the incoming air stream. The only pity is that it has to be lifted by hand in the old fashioned way.

However, if the barely perceptible rustle of wind in your hair is boring, you can isolate yourself from the outside world by pressing one button - and after 19 seconds you will plunge into awe-inspiring silence. This is how long it takes to lift the GTC soft upper, available in seven colors to choose from, including an all-new tweed-textured option. Best of all, the roof drive can be activated without stopping at speeds up to 50 km / h.

Naturally, it would be silly to expect studio noise isolation from the convertible, like the GT coupe. But even with numerous moving elements in the structure, the car withstands external acoustic stimuli at a stunningly high level. Only at high speeds does the wind begin to whine barely noticeably at the junctions of the side windows, and on the chipped asphalt somewhere, deep in the wheel arches, the wide tires of Pirelli P Zero sing along. However, none of the above prevents you from communicating in almost a whisper.

You can watch the Bentley folding soft roof mechanism indefinitely - it happens so gracefully and gracefully. It is even more surprising that despite the not small size of the car and, therefore, the softest awning, the latter fits in a fairly compact compartment behind the second row of seats. This means that there is still room for the luggage compartment in the car. Even though its volume has shrunk to a modest 235 liters, it will still fit a couple of mid-size suitcases or, say, a golf bag. However, who cares if on any long trip the concierge service or personal help is usually responsible for the delivery of the GTC owner's personal belongings?

The main feature of the GTC's interior is not a folding soft top and not even a diamond-shaped stitching on the leather trim, which on average takes about 10 skins of young bulls, but the absence of a touch screen so familiar today. In fact, of course, there is a touchscreen here, and a rather big one - with a diagonal of 12,3 inches. But just to take it and install it on the center console, as is done in hundreds of other cars, it would be too common for the people of Crewe. Therefore, the screen is integrated into one of the planes of the rotating triangular module.

I pressed the button - and instead of the display, the classic dials of the thermometer, compass and stopwatch flashed, framed by trim in the color of the front panel. And if you stop and turn off the ignition, you can get rid of them, albeit for a while, turning the Continental GTC cabin into the interior of a luxury motorboat. In the company itself, such a solution is called nothing more than a digital detox, which very accurately describes the whole essence of what is happening. In today's dominance of gadgets, sometimes you want to take a break from the ubiquitous screens.

At the same time, you simply will not be able to completely disconnect from modern technologies while driving a Bentley Grand Tourer - the gadget is constantly looming before your eyes. And now it is also a screen, which is not inferior in size and graphics to the main one. In addition to the instruments themselves and the data of the on-board computer, almost any information from the multimedia complex can be displayed here, from the list of performers on the built-in hard disk to navigation maps. But is it really necessary?

“It's all about the proportions,” the chief designer of the brand, Stefan Zilaff, keeps repeating, who painted and then created in metal one of the most elegant and recognizable cars in the world. Indeed, the proportions of the new Continental GTC have changed markedly compared to its predecessor. The front wheels are 135mm forward, the front overhang is shorter and the so-called prestige distance from the front axle to the base of the windshield pillar has increased markedly. The bonnet line also extends slightly below.

Of course, we have already seen all this on the coupe, but it is on the open-top car that the efforts of Zilaff and his commands are read more clearly. After all, the Continental GT coupe is, in fact, a fastback with a characteristic roof line that stretches to the very edge of the trunk, which makes it so monolithic. At the same time, the rear of the convertible is conceptually designed in a completely different way. As a result, the silhouette of the latter turned out to be even more impetuous and lightweight, albeit not so recognizable.

The attention to detail is no less surprising. With photographs of individual elements, you can safely illustrate the word "perfectionism" in the school dictionary. For example, the base of the head optics, shimmering in the sun, like crystal glasses for whiskey. The air vents in the front fenders with horizontal slat blades are adorned with the number 12, as if by chance alluding to the loyalty to the traditions of motor building in Crewe. The LED ovals of the tail lights, echoed by the tailpipes, are framed in dark trim, and the XNUMXD embossing on the rear fenders matches the thrilling curves of Adriana Lima's body. There is no longer any strength to consider all this perfection from the outside. I want to grab the keys and rush forward again without stopping.

The driving experience of the Continental GTC is completely unique. No, no, the supercharged 12 L W6,0, which, with some changes, moved here from the Bentayga crossover, is not at all about driving in the red zone of the tachometer. The engine has a locomotive traction reserve and confidently drives not the lightest car forward from the very bottom. As if these 2414 kg of mass are not there. One has only to lightly touch the accelerator - and now you are driving faster than the flow. Acceleration from any speed is extremely easy. Even if you need to go very fast, there is no need to spin the engine up to the maximum 6000 rpm.

But if the situation dictates, the luxury convertible is ready to meet almost any rival. When starting with two pedals, passport 635 liters. from. and 900 Nm accelerate the GTC to the first hundred in just 3,8 seconds, and after another 4,2 seconds the speedometer needle will fly past 160 km / h. However, after two or three such launches, you will lose all interest in this kind of pleasure.

The eight-stage "robot" ZF shows its best side in such modes. During intensive acceleration, the box, inherited by the Continental coupe and convertible, together with the MSB platform from the third generation Porsche Panamera, goes through gears with recognizable German pedantry. In a calm rhythm, the transmission can fall into thoughtfulness, as if not understanding what exactly they want from it right now.

What's really exciting is the wide range of chassis settings. In basic mechatronics mode, which is called Bentley, and is activated whenever you start the engine, the suspension may feel overly tight. This is especially noticeable on old and uneven asphalt. What can we say about Sport, which is only suitable for perfectly smooth surfaces. But it is enough to switch the mode selection washer to Comfort, and the road is smoothed out as if at the snap of your fingers. Neither patches on the asphalt road, nor speed bumps are capable of disturbing the peace on board this cruiser.

So is the Continental GTC the best Gran Turismo, as Bentley calls it? In my mind, he got to the first line for the shortest possible distance. Apart from him, there are not so many players in the niche of luxury convertibles. You will have to choose between the ultra-conservative Rolls-Royce Dawn and the super-tech Mercedes-AMG S 63. And each of them is so unique in its essence that one can hardly speak seriously about direct competition. First of all, it is a matter of taste. And, as you know, they don't argue about him.

Body type	Two-door convertible
Dimensions (length, width, height), mm	4850/1954/1399
Wheelbase, mm	2851
Curb weight, kg	2414
engine's type	Petrol, W12, turbocharged
Working volume, cubic meters cm	5950
Power, hp with. at rpm	635/6000
Max. cool. moment, Nm at rpm	900 / 1350-4500
Transmission, drive	Robotic 8-speed full
Max. speed km / h	333
Acceleration 0-100 km / h, sec	3,8
Fuel consumption (city, highway, mixed), l	22,9/11,8/14,8
Price from, USD	216 000