Autoblog

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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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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Review: 2010 Bentley GTC Speed is like Heaven. Only better.

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:56:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Bentley, Reviews, Luxury

2010 Bentley Continental GTC Speed - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Bentley Continental GT has been lauded and derided for being too much: too powerful, too fast, too easy, too big, too ubiquitous, and yes, too good. The convertible version, the Continental GTC, dismissed its roof but retained the excess. Now, Bentley has worked its "Speed" hocus-pocus in order to create a new variant of everyone's favorite over-the-top drop-top and Crewe's mad scientists have taken a vehicle that's already cranked to eleven and turned it up a notch or two... or three. Gloriously excessive excess awaits after the jump.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Bentley GTC Speed

Continue reading Review: 2010 Bentley GTC Speed is like Heaven. Only better.

Review: 2010 Bentley GTC Speed is like Heaven. Only better. originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scrap the Rich: Bentley Continental is 85% recyclable

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:30:00 EST

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

Bentley Recycling Certificate - Click above to enlarge

Good news for all Bentley Continental owners who plan to recycle their ultra-expensive and luxurious automobile after the GT outlives its usefulness: Bentley now guarantees that the Continental line is 85% recyclable and 95% recoverable. In recognition of this achievement, the automaker has been awarded an official certificate from the German Motor Transport Authority. According to Dr. Arno Homburg, head of Whole Vehicle Development at Bentley Motors:

"Our environment policy is based on sustainable principles and we take a holistic view of the whole process. At the design stage we consider the environmental impact of all components over the entire life of the car. This is despite the fact that over 70% of all Bentleys ever produced are still in existence - our cars tend to end up as collectors' items rather than scrap."

We'd tend to agree it's unlikely that many Bentleys will find their way to the scrap-heap, but the recycling certificate means that if the unthinkable ever happens, the various bits of metal, plastic, glass and the like can be reused in any number of industries. Who knows, your old, unwanted Bentley could come back to life as the world's finest toaster oven... or a laptop computer, or perhaps some luggage.

Continue reading Scrap the Rich: Bentley Continental is 85% recyclable

Scrap the Rich: Bentley Continental is 85% recyclable originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 May 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Bentley prepares for market recovery by advancing new Continental debut

Noah Joseph — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Bentley, UK

Bentley Continental GT Speed in the Autoblog Garage - Click above for high-res gallery

While other automakers cut back their development programs in hopes of streamlining overhead during this difficult economic climate, Bentley is taking the opposite approach. Rather than cut back on developing new vehicles, they're actually pushing to move things ahead on their calendar.

According to Automotive News, the logic is based on the projection that the economy is on the road to recovery, and Bentley wants to be there when its wealthy clientele has got more fluid cash on hand to splurge on new six-figure luxury cars. While the replacement for the range-topping Arnage is expected to carry on unchanged, the successor to the Continental range is being moved forward, as confirmed by Crewe's own sales and marketing chief Stuart McCullough.

So whereas the next Continental GT was previously slated for introduction in 2011, the new coupe is now being prepared for its debut next year. No official word on rescheduling the introductions of the Flying Spur and GTC models to go along with it, but we'd expect the sedan to move forward from 2012 to 2011, with the convertible to follow in 2012 instead of 2013 as previously reported.

[Source: Automotive News - subs. req'd]

REPORT: Bentley prepares for market recovery by advancing new Continental debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: We wonder if this voids the warranty

Alex Nunez — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Videos, Bentley

Click above to watch video after the jump

The Bentley Continental series is a lot of fun. The cars look good, are appropriately sybaritic and, most importantly, they go like stink. The have all-wheel drive, too - mostly to help keep Johnny Swell's 550-horsepower chariot on the pavement and out of the tree line when he gets delusions of grandeur behind the wheel. We thought that was pretty much the extent of things, but as one UAE driver demonstrates in the video after the jump, the Continental's AWD and trick air suspension let a Bentley GTC hold its own in a 4x4 caravan through sand dunes and over a desert road. With the stock wheel/tire setup, no less. Be forewarned: the music becomes a little grating after the first couple of minutes. Now please excuse us, as we've got a sudden hankering for falafel. Thanks for the tip, lowlow!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: We wonder if this voids the warranty

VIDEO: We wonder if this voids the warranty originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:32:00 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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Autoblog drives the Bentley Continental GTC

Alex Nunez — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 11:28:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Bentley

Click to enlarge

Last week, Bentley sent three examples of the exquisite new Continental GTC to Miller Motorcars' Bentley Greenwich. The trio of droptops is currently touring the country, stopping at Bentley showrooms to afford customers new and old the opportunity to get behind the wheel. In the case of the GTC, though, the car is so beautiful, one could, in good conscience, place an order based on a photo alone.

Thankfully, last week, I didn't have to look at photos or stare at a static prototype on display. I had an appointment, you see. I was going to take one of the cars out for a brief spin myself. When I drove into the Miller parking lot, the usual assortment of eye candy was augmented by GTCs finished in Sapphire, Moonbeam, and Silver Tempest. After a quick sign-in, I was escorted to to the car done up with the Moonbeam paint and a gorgeous Nautic blue leather interior. This was Thursday afternoon, and to say that it was perfect convertible weather would be to understate the matter. The temperature was in the mid-60s and the sun was blazing in a cloudless sky. The roof was already down on the GTC. It was time.

I dropped into the comfortable driver's seat and and pressed the start button on the center console. The twin-turbo W12 turned over and burbled to life, settling into a quiet idle. The rep who would be riding with me, Diane, waited as I got the seat and mirrors arranged to my liking.

"We ready?" I asked.

"Whenever you are," she replied. I pulled the shifter down into drive and edged out to the curb to wait for a break in traffic.

Continue reading Autoblog drives the Bentley Continental GTC

Autoblog drives the Bentley Continental GTC originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Oct 2006 11:28:00 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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