Bentley Continental GTC
ESTIMATEDMSRP:
$191,400
(V-8GTC)
AVAILABLE:
LateSummer2012
ONLINE:
bentleymotors.com
B
Bentleyhasunveileda
much-updated—and for
thefirst time,V-8-powered
—versionof the2013Con-
tinentalGTCconvertible.
Equippedwithapairof
rapid-response twin-scroll
turbochargers, thenew
four-literV-8 improvesoperatingefficiencyby40per-
centwhilestill producinganapropos500horsepower.
Thisenginealsoboastscylinderdeactivation technol-
ogy,whichshutsdown fourof theV-8’seight cylinders
during light-load, steady-statecruisingconditions.
Nopoint inwasting thegoodstuff, afterall.
TheV-8GTCwill also comefittedwithanew
eight-speedautomatic transmission, sporty front air
dam, itsownuniquewheel/tirepackage, andpossibly
every conceivableamenity— includinghand-fitted
leatherdyedanyof 17 colors, an 1,100-watt 10-speaker
Naimpremiumaudio system, seatmassagers, and (if
you select theoptionalMullinerpackage) lamb’s
wool carpeting, diamondquilted seats, and custom-
orderedpaint palettes.
And if a 500-hpV-8 isn’t,well, sufficient, the 567-hp
12-cylinder engine is still on themenu. It’snot 40per-
centmore fuel-efficient, of course. But it doesproduce
a locomotive-like 516 foot-poundsof torqueat just
1,700 rpm—barelya fast idle. Raise those rpmsand
thenearly three-tonGTC rouses itself tohurricane
force fury—anddashes to 60 in 4.5 seconds,witha
top speedof nearly 200mph.
Topdown, orup—yourchoice.
➤
SUMMER 2012
celebratedliving.com
26
DRIVING
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