Autoblog

This is not how you tow a Bentley convertible

Jeffrey N. Ross — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Videos, Bentley

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy upwards of 250,000 vehicles may have been destroyed, but this particular Bentley Continental GTC may have had insult added to that injury as it was towed out of New York. While we don't know the exact details behind this vehicle being towed, the lack of concern for its well-being coupled with what appears to be water in the headlight of the $200,000-plus convertible, has us thinking this is a Sandy victim.

While most towing companies these days use wheel lifts or flat beds, this truck still has the old-fashioned system of hooks, chains and rubber straps. We're sure with as many cars that needed to be towed following Sandy, the city wasn't exactly concerned about damaging totaled vehicles, but you can scroll down to watch - and listen to - the abuse as its happens to this poor Bentley.

Continue reading This is not how you tow a Bentley convertible

This is not how you tow a Bentley convertible originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Apr 2013 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bentley showcases new Continental GTC in motion

Noah Joseph — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 18:40:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Videos, Bentley, Luxury

We've gotten the details. We've seen it at the auto show. We've even driven it in Croatia, and brought you our impressions. But there's only so much we can describe a car like the new Bentley Continental GTC, because the luxury cabriolet is an experience. It's about seeing and being seen. It's about wafting effortlessly down azure coastlines and feeling the wind in your hair.

Fortunately, for those of us who will never have the privilege, Bentley has released video footage of its new Continental GTC showing exactly that. Check it out after the jump.

Continue reading Bentley showcases new Continental GTC in motion

Bentley showcases new Continental GTC in motion originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Oct 2011 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Bentley Continental GTC wafts onto stage [w/video]

Noah Joseph — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:41:00 EST

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Convertible, Bentley, Luxury

When one of Volkswagen's higher-end marques unveils a new version of one of its core products, you know one thing for certain: the debut is just the beginning. Because after the first new version rolls out, there will be a veritable landslide of variants to follow.

That's the case with the Porsche 911, that's the case with the Lamborghini Gallardo and that's certainly the case with the Bentley Continental. The GT coupe was the first to be updated, the Flying Spur sedan is sure to follow in due course, and we can presume to see Speed and even Supersport versions as well. But before they come along, the Crewe has official lifted the veil on the GTC drophead.

The convertible model follows the lead of the updated Continental GT, only with a folding fabric roof. That gives the 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 and all its 567 horsepower ample opportunity to fill the cabin with its silken rumble and gracefully tousle the hair of its occupants.

We'll be driving the new model within a couple of weeks, but in the meantime, this is our first look, so check it out from the Volkswagen Group pavilion here in Frankfurt in our gallery, or watch some B-roll after the jump.

Continue reading 2012 Bentley Continental GTC wafts onto stage [w/video]

2012 Bentley Continental GTC wafts onto stage [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Bentley Continental GTC goes topless as summer winds down

Jeff Glucker — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Bentley, Luxury

Bentley is currently in the middle of a product update that started with the all-new Mulsanne and has now moved on to the Continental GT. We've gotten up close and personal with the 2012 Continental GT Coupe on more than one occasion, but we knew that more derivatives lurked in the future. The next one is now here, and it arrives in the form of the 2012 Bentley Continental GTC.

Sharing the same lower lines as its sibling hardtop coupe, the GTC opts to let the sun shine in via a power-operated retracting softtop. Under the hood sits the same 6.0-liter W12 engine that produces 567 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque in the coupe. Paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, the Continental GTC will run from 0-60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds. Keep your Church's Warrik leather driving shoe pushed to the floor and 100 mph will pass by in 10.9 seconds as you proceed towards a top speed of 195 mph.

This second-generation Continental GTC boasts the same upgraded interior amenities as the coupe, including the (thankfully!) updated nav system, plethora of color choices and optional Naim audio. Twenty-inch wheels are the standard set, while 21-inch rollers are available as an option.

For those who have the means, Bentley is taking orders now, and lucky customers will take delivery towards the end of 2011. The rest of the world will get to see the car in person at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Ready to take a deeper dive into the world of the 2012 Bentley Continental GTC? Click past the jump for the full press release, then take a gander at the convertible from all angles in our gallery.

Continue reading 2012 Bentley Continental GTC goes topless as summer winds down

2012 Bentley Continental GTC goes topless as summer winds down originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bentley to unveil new Continental GTC in Frankfurt

Noah Joseph — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 17:29:00 EST

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Convertible, Bentley, Luxury

2011 Bentley Continental GT - Click above for high-res image gallery

Bentley's Continental range has, well... "spurred" a whole line of derivatives: the GT coupe, the GTC convertible, the Flying Spur sedan, Speed and Supersports versions of each, a string of special editions.... And like other such proliferative products - say, the Porsche 911 or Ford Mustang, for examples - when one is updated, it starts a whole new game of dominoes.

So after the Continental GT was updated this past September with a fresh face and a whole host of changes, we knew it would only be a matter of time before the others would follow. And according to reports, the next one down the line is the cabrio.

Word has it that the new Continental GTC will be unveiled one year after the coupe was revealed at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. So what can we expect when it does? Well, the same fresh bodywork as its fixed-roof counterpart and its refresh interior as well as its revised flex-fuel 6.0-liter twin-turbo W-12 and six-speed automatic transmission, only with a folding fabric roof.

A less costly V8 model is still expected to come at some point down the road, as will the more powerful Speed versions and the Flying Spur sedan. Just one Bentley at a time there, boys.

Bentley to unveil new Continental GTC in Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2010: Bentley unveils pair of limited edition Continental GTC models

Frank Filipponio — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Bentley, Design/Style, Luxury

2011 Bentley Continental GTC Speed 80-11 Edition - Click above for high-res image gallery

Pebble Beach is fast becoming one of the best places for new car debuts. Besides seeing the McLaren MP4-12C, Fiorvanti SP1, Perana Z-One, Morgan EvaGT, Jaguar XK175, Jaguar XJ75 Platinum, Boss 302 Mustang, Veyron Super Sport, Lotus Exos T125, Lotus Evora GT4 Cup, and so on and so on, we just got to see the new Bentley Continental GTC and GTC Speed 80-11 Editions. These 80-11 models, designed exclusively for the North American market, will be limited to just 80 units each. The "11" in the title refers to 2011, the model year of these specials.

These are basically trim packages, adding things like 20-inch, 14-spoke polished wheels, and red calipers on the Speed, but they at least look tasteful. While the 80-11 Editions will be available in any Bentley color, they've introduced a new color - Midnight - that will be exclusive to these models.

If the wheels or special color don't tip you off to the special nature of these vehicles, you might be able to spot them by their little Union Jack badges on the front fenders. Check out the full press release after the jump for more details and be sure to peruse our gallery as well.

Gallery: Monterey 2010: Bentley Continental GTC Speed 80-11 Edition

Continue reading Monterey 2010: Bentley unveils pair of limited edition Continental GTC models

Monterey 2010: Bentley unveils pair of limited edition Continental GTC models originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All Bentley Continental models going flex-fuel in June

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:55:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Bentley, Luxury

2010 Bentley Continental Supersports - Click above for high-res image gallery

It may not be the most interesting news you read all week, but we now have a date at which all Bentley Continentals will be able to gulp down whiskey with the best of 'em: June.( Well, not exactly whiskey, but ethanol's pretty close.) Bentley had made the announcement (sans date) at the Geneva Motor Show when it showed off the Continental Supersports Convertible.

This move as a big first step toward reaching Bentley's stated goal of offering an entirely biofuel-capable lineup by 2012. In its latest form, as seen in the Continental Supersports, Bentley's twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 offers up 621 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. That's sufficient to push the Conti to 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds and onto to a top speed of 202 mph.

As the Continental family is easily Bentley's most popular offering, this means that over half of all cars the brand sells this year will be flex-fuel-compatible. For those keeping track, the Brooklands coupe (which will soon be discontinued), Azure convertible and the soon-to-be-released Mulsanne sedan (the replacement for the long-running Arnage) are still not yet biofuel capable. According to Automotive News, however, the Mulsanne will be E85-capable shortly after its launch later this year.

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Bentley Continental Supersports

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req'd]

All Bentley Continental models going flex-fuel in June originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2010: Touring Superleggera Flying Star is our kind of coachbuilt wunder car

Jonny Lieberman — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:08:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Wagon, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Bentley, Luxury

Touring Superleggera Flying Star - Click above for high-res image gallery

The majority of auto journalists are car freaks by nature. One of the many defining characteristics of a car freak is an undying, unadulterated love of any sort of shooting brake. If you're not a car freak, or just don't know the term, a shooting brake is a two-door station wagon. Why is this bodystyle so beloved? Many reasons, but let's just chalk it up to the impracticality of a sports car mixed well with the practicality of a station wagon. What can we say, it's a boat floater.

For Geneva, Italian car maker Touring Superleggera showed us freaks their new, stunning Flying Star. Built at the request of a customer and with the full cooperation of Bentley, the Flying Star is a shooting brake built from the Bentley Continental GTC. Honestly, there's not all that much to tell. Underneath the new skin sits... a Bentley Continental GTC, complete with its 560-horsepower, 479-pound-feet-of-torque twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12. Or, if you insist, Touring Superleggera will build you a GTC Speed-based Flying Star with 610 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. Oh, and there's a support structure between the rear shocks that acts as both a hard structure for the new roofline and an integrated roll bar.

The real story, however, is being told by your eyeballs. Many of us have never been all that enthused by the shape of the Continental. But the Flying Star, well, it completes the design. How good? Four of us Autobloggers were gathered around a single laptop ~~gasping at~~ admiring Touring Superleggera's handicraft work. So yes, we think this is a very wonderful looking car. 100-percent picture perfect? No, as the tailgate's not quite... something. But let's not be petty, the Flying Star is fantastic looking.

Useful, too, as you can fit four golf bags in the rear. You might be wondering why a two-seat vehicle would need to carry four golf bags, but if you look closely you'll notice two additional seats in back. They of course fold down, allowing the Flying Star to swallow even more golf bags (no official word on exactly how many).

Besides the Flying Star's overall shooting brakeness, our favorite part has to be the woven leather "boot carpet," i.e. a beautiful material that covers the rear cargo area, the back of the rear seats and the rear floormats. Have we ever been excited about carpet before? No, never. And we doubt we ever will be again. That said, we doubt we'll be seeing any coachbuilt cars that get us as excited as the Flying Star. Now word on price (think: expensive!) but Touring Superleggera will be building just under 20 examples per year. Go car freaks, go. Full press release after the jump.

Gallery: Geneva 2010: Touring Superleggera Flying Star

Live Photos: Jonny Lieberman / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Touring Superleggera]

Continue reading Geneva 2010: Touring Superleggera Flying Star is our kind of coachbuilt wunder car

Geneva 2010: Touring Superleggera Flying Star is our kind of coachbuilt wunder car originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carrozzeria Touring reportedly to unveil coachbuilt Bentley Continental GTC in Geneva

Noah Joseph — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Geneva Motor Show, Bentley, Specialty, Design/Style, Luxury

Bentley Continental GTZ by Zagato - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you were enticed by Zagato's take on the Bentley Continental GT (pictured above), rumor has it Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera has a version of its own in the works.

Anticipated to be unveiled at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in two months' time, Touring's coachbuilt Bentley is slated to be based on the convertible Continental GTC, and could borrow its underpinnings from the upcoming GTC SuperSports.

Like Zagato's Continental GTZ, the second coachbuilt Continental reportedly received support from Crewe. Since its revival, the Carrozzeria gave us such Maserati-based creations as the A8 GCS and Quattroporte Bellagio Fastback, and was recently rumored to be working on a custom Ferrari design as well.

Gallery: Geneva 2008: Bentley Continental GTZ Zagato

[Source: Autoblog.nl]

Carrozzeria Touring reportedly to unveil coachbuilt Bentley Continental GTC in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Inevitable Bentley Continental GTC Supersports spotted

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:39:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Performance, Bentley, Luxury

Really, it was only a matter of time before spy photos of the Bentley Continental GTC Supersports made the rounds. After all, there was never any doubt that the German-owned maker of high-end luxury cars would eventually cut the top off its latest sportster -- in this case powered by the most powerful production version of the automaker's 6.0-liter W12 powerplant.

For those that like to keep track of such things, this would be the eighth derivative of the Continental platform - the others being the GT coupe, GTC cabrio, Flying Spur sedan, Speed versions of each and the Supersports coupe. If it does indeed see the light of day, expect the GTC Supersports to boast a similar weight reduction as the coupe (243 pounds, although it's sure to gain a few when the top comes off) along with carbon ceramic brakes and the deletion of the rear seats. Oh, and flex-fuel capability... at some point.

[Source: ThumbSnap]

Spy Shots: Inevitable Bentley Continental GTC Supersports spotted originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bentley said to be "seriously considering" Continental Supersports convertible

Noah Joseph — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Bentley, Rumormill, Electric, Luxury

Bentley Continental Supersports - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Bentley Continental is getting a little on in years. And sooner or later, Crewe's going to need to replace it. But while their focus has been fixed on the new Mulsanne and the various versions expected to follow, the boys haven't forgotten about their "entry-level" model. In fact, the Continental by now has spawned seven different derivatives - including the GT coupe, GTC cabrio, Flying Spur sedan, Speed versions of each and the Supersports coupe - but new reports indicate that adding an eighth version is being "seriously considered."

The variant in question would be a Supersports convertible, featuring the same 621-horsepower, flex-fuel twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12 (21 horses more than stock) as the Supersports coupe. In the process, the GTC would also shed extra weight - the Supersports coupe dropped 243 pounds - and pack carbon ceramic brakes and two fewer seats than the base convertible. Sources indicate that if given the green light, the Continental Supersports convertible would likely hit the market about a year from now, where it would almost certainly command the highest price in the Continental range.

Gallery: Bentley Continental Supersports

[Source: Car and Driver]

Bentley said to be "seriously considering" Continental Supersports convertible originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frankfurt 2009: Bentley Continental GTC Series 51 ain't so bad under the lights

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:31:00 EST

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Bentley, Luxury

Bentley Continental GTC Series 51 -- Click above for high-res image gallery

When we walked up to the Bentley Continental GTC Series 51 resting on the hardwood floor of the Bentley stand, it immediately had us thinking a familiar thought. Just to make sure, we asked our colleagues if they had been experiencing the same thing, and that turned into a spirited discussion about car design and CAD-drawn vs. hand-drawn bodywork.

That well-known thought was: it's not so garish in person. Substitute "hideous," "bad," and "ugly" for "garish" and you've recreated our experiences with a number of vehicles lately, and not just in Frankfurt. From the outside it's just a good looking Continental with a new set of wheels and Bentley's always-upright center caps. Inside, the car simply feels blue with white trim, and tastefully so, which was not the impression given in the preview photos. We still look forward to the Series 51's future offerings, but this first one is a.o.k.

Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Bentley Continental GTC Series 51

Frankfurt 2009: Bentley Continental GTC Series 51 ain't so bad under the lights originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mansory Bentley Vitesse Rose isn't really all that rosy

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:01:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Frankfurt Motor Show, Coupe, Bentley, Luxury

Mansory Bentley Vitesse Rose -- Click above for high-res image gallery

As a testament to its range, the same company that brought you the evil blackness of the Vincero would like you to focus your attention here, on the Bentley Vitesse Rose. The full-on Mansory kit itself is fine. The pink-a-licious color its draped in, matched with the carbon fiber hood, is best digested before you eat solid food. And wait until you see the inside: a color combination we don't think you'll be seeing from the Series 51 program comprising diamond stitched pink and purple leather.

Depending on your take, you might be gratified that Mansory only plans to build three of them. If you want to be one of those... proud... owners, then call Mansory and have a check ready for €269,000. The rest of you can check out the roseate goodness in the high-res gallery below.

Gallery: Mansory Bentley Vitesse Rose

[Source: Diesel Station]

Continue reading Mansory Bentley Vitesse Rose isn't really all that rosy

Mansory Bentley Vitesse Rose isn't really all that rosy originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frankfurt Preview: Bentley Continental Series 51

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Bentley, Luxury

Bentley Continental GT/C Series 51 -- Click above for high-res image gallery

As with Rolls-Royce and its Bespoke Collection, at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Bentley will be introducing its Continental Series 51 cars for the GT and GTC. These will be a cadre of models further tailored by Crewe's designers. Each car "will feature a highly distinctive interior color palette and unique exterior design cues." The first car to show off the line wears an interior in Imperial Blue, Linen, and Newmarket Tan, with color-matched floor mats with contrasting stitching.

You can top the tri-tone interior with a two-tone paint job outside, and throw Bentley's new self-leveling wheel center caps on the 20-inchers. The Series 51 cars will be available to order from this month. You can read all about them in the press release after the jump and check the first one out in the gallery of high-res photos below.

Gallery: Bentley Continental GT Series 51

[Source: Bentley]

Continue reading Frankfurt Preview: Bentley Continental Series 51

Frankfurt Preview: Bentley Continental Series 51 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Bentley Continental GTC Speed

Noah Joseph — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:35:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Bentley, Specialty

Click above for high-res gallery of Bentley Continental GTC Speed spy shots

Some new cars are predictable; others catch us by surprise. This one we could see from a mile away, and not just because it's enormous. But after Bentley rolled out Speed versions of the Continental GT coupe (which we've sampled) and Flying Spur sedan, it was only a matter of time before the same treatment would be applied to the GTC convertible variant. And now we're seeing the spy shots to prove it. The Bentley Continental GTC Speed, as it's certain to be called, will feature all of the same upgrades we've seen on the Speed versions of its fixed-head counterparts. That means a power bump for its W12 engine to 602 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque, suspension and aero tweaks and bigger wheels. All of it will add up to one fast-moving warm weather front that should hit U.S. shores in the near future as Hurricane Bentley.

Gallery: Bentley Continental GTC Speed - spy shots

[Source: KGP Photography]

Spy Shots: Bentley Continental GTC Speed originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No diesels for Bentley

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Green, Supercars, Bentley

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Bentley Brooklands

Bentleys and buckets of torque go hand-in-hand. Therefore, it might make some sense for the German-owned British luxury marque to consider one of the VW Group's big, powerful turbodiesels for one of its upcoming models. Not so fast, says Bentley. It has specifically polled its customer base -- made up mostly of Americans and Asians -- to determine if there's any interest in an oil-burning Bentley. Apparently, there isn't. Instead, the luxo-barge company will focus on biofuels in an effort to lower the fuel consumption and emissions of a numbers of its models. As a matter of fact, the first flex-fuel engine from the Flying B is expected to debut in 2009 and Franz-Josef Paefgen, Bentley's Chief Executive, says that all of its models will be capable of running on biofuels by 2012 as part of its plan to go ~~British Racing~~ green.

[Source: Autocar]

No diesels for Bentley originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In the Autoblog Garage: 2007 Bentley Continental GTC

Alex Nunez — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:05:00 EST

Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage, Convertible, Performance, Bentley

Click image for a high-res gallery of the Bentley Continental GTC

Gaudy. Overstyled. Ostentatious. Attention-hungry. These are words that can be used to describe any number of high-end, six-figure automobiles with pedigreed names and gobs of power. Often, those credentials are accompanied by trademark styling that ranges from the merely adventurous to the outright extreme. That particular branch of motoring is not ideal for everyone, however. Some prefer elegance to envelope pushing; understatement to "Look at me!" Thankfully, elegance and power are not mutually exclusive. Bentley, you see, has just about perfected the art of merging the two. Tastefully beautiful, the Bentley Continental GTC draws as many stares as cars designed to be attention magnets. With 6.0 liters, 12 cylinders, and 552 twin-turbocharged horses underhood, it's no shrinking violet, either. That's the best part, you see. When asked, the Bentley sizes up all comers, and then it blows their doors off -- with panache.

Gallery: In the Autoblog Garage: 2007 Bentley Continental GTC

Continue reading In the Autoblog Garage: 2007 Bentley Continental GTC

In the Autoblog Garage: 2007 Bentley Continental GTC originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frankfurt 2007: Le MANSORY Convertible

Alex Nunez — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Tuners, Convertible, Europe, Bentley

Click image for high-res gallery

Over in Frankfurt, MANSORY has its latest creation on display. The Continental GTC-based LeMANSORY Convertible is one of Bentley's delectable ragtops that's been subsequently outfitted with the Le MANSORY body and tuning package. Sadly, the widebody kit obscures the GTC's classy art-deco lines in the name of giving the car a racier look. Black wheels and grille inserts contrast to the bright white bodywork, and the interior is transformed by a retina-scorching white-and-red full leather/Alcantara package. That color scheme is carried into the engine compartment, where the modifications are more to our liking.

The MANSORY performance kit ups the twin-turbo W12's output from 552 hp to a stout 641 horses @ 6100 RPM and a tire-destroying 575 lb-ft of torque at just 1600 rpm. As you might imagine, the performance numbers reflect the added punch. 0-60 happens in 4.4 seconds and the car's claimed top speed is 205 mph. A Brembo brake upgrade adds the required stopping power, and a new exhaust system that exhales via quad ports lets the neighbors know about the evil underhood. Only 24 LeMANSORY kits will be sold, so if you don't like it, don't worry. Chances are you'll never see one in the wild anyway.

MANSORY's full press release is pasted after the jump.

[Source: MANSORY via Motor Authority]

Gallery: Le MANSORY Convertible

Continue reading Frankfurt 2007: Le MANSORY Convertible

Frankfurt 2007: Le MANSORY Convertible originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Sep 2007 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Bentley Continental GTC in Greenwich

Alex Nunez — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 15:29:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Bentley

Saturday, September 9 was a beautiful day in southern Connecticut. The skies were clear and the air was warm. Perfect convertible weather, actually, so it was fitting that Miller Motorcars Bentley Greenwich was playing host to the new Continental GTC for the day. If the light blue convertible looks familiar, it should. This is the same car that Bentley Chairman/CEO Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen unveiled at this year's New York International Auto Show. Since then, it has been moving around the country appearing at various events ranging from polo matches to Pebble Beach.

It's also been visiting Bentley showrooms to generate customer interest, something there seems to be no shortage of. The Bentley, sparkling in the afternoon sun, was like a tractor beam drawing interested parties into the parking lot. Every face that approached the car wore a smile, whether it belonged to a dreamer living a Lotto fantasy in his mind or a patron who was on a first-name basis with the dealer staff. Even the cars that didn't pull in for a closer look slowed down as they drove by.

The GTC is that kind of car: gorgeous inside and out. You see it. You smile. You want it.

(Keep reading after the jump and check out lots more photos)

Continue reading The Bentley Continental GTC in Greenwich

The Bentley Continental GTC in Greenwich originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Sep 2006 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bentley Continental GTC production begins

Alex Nunez — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 19:08:00 EST

Bentley announced that it has started building the new Continental GTC at its Crewe facility this week. The GTC is the gorgeous and spectacular droptop version of the company's well-received Continental GT coupe. The open-air 2+2 is powered by a 552-horsepower twin-turbo W12 -- a powerplant up to the task of ruining the expertly-coiffed hairdos of the Conti's driver and passengers. It also features all-wheel-drive, an air suspension, and Bentley's typically exquisite attention to detail inside the cabin.

Introduced in April at the New York International Auto Show, the first Continental GTCs will be delivered to UK customers at the end of this month. The GTC rounds out the Continental lineup, which already includes the Continental GT coupe and the Continental Flying Spur sedan.

Related Posts:

(Press release after the jump)

[Source: Bentley Motors]

Continue reading Bentley Continental GTC production begins

Bentley Continental GTC production begins originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Sep 2006 19:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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