The perfect summer grand tourer: The continental GT convertible
Beautiful and elegant design with the roof open or closed.
Elegant, sophisticated and refined, the Continental GT Convertible is the pinnacle of open-top luxury motoring, and 2020 marks the first summer that all of Bentley’s key global markets (The Americas, Europe, UK, China, Middle East and Asia Pacific) will receive deliveries of the newest V8 version of Bentley’s convertible Grand Tourer.
Beautiful with roof open or closed, the Continental GT Convertible’s flowing, elegant exterior styling is accented with muscular proportions and sharp, sculptural lines. The convertible roof sweeps open to reveal an exquisite handcrafted interior, making this the perfect car for the upcoming summer months.
The convertible roof can be deployed or stowed in just 19 seconds, with the car travelling at speeds of up to 30 mph (50 km/h). An entirely new combination of roof insulating materials and operating mechanism (a ‘Z-fold’), combined with sealing system improvements and acoustic treatments, have created a Convertible Grand Tourer that is as quiet inside the cabin as the previous generation Continental GT Coupe, with a three-decibel (50%) reduction in overall noise levels compared to its predecessor at typical cruising speeds. Laminated acoustic glass for the windscreen and side windows gives a -9 dBA (88%) improvement at an audio frequency of 3.15 kHz – the typical frequency of passing car noise, and a key part of the audio spectrum to be minimised for maximum comfort.
With its combination of new insulating materials and an elegant operating mechanism, the roof is the only example of its kind in the world to feature a full tonneau cover.
A BEAUTIFULLY FLOWING DESIGN
Bentley head of interior design, Darren Day, comments: “A convertible Bentley is the ultimate romantic Grand Tourer. With the soft top lowered one becomes further connected with the elements and surroundings during the journey.
“From the driver’s seat a fully panoramic view around the car is achieved. The hood stows with no interruptions in the smooth surfaces, under a precise leather-trimmed tonneau cover. This is the area where we can showcase the craftsmanship and skill of our leather trimmers with finely sewn and detailed panels that cover the complex mechanism allowing the hood to stow so efficiently.”
The Continental GT Convertible is also equipped to keep its occupants comfortable whatever the weather, even with the roof down. The seats feature integrated neck warmers inspired by Bentley’s iconic Bulls-Eye vents, which blow warm air across the neck and shoulders. Three-mode heated seats, a heated hand-stitched steering wheel and even heated arm rests provide warm, soft-touch leather surfaces at every touch-point. Together with an optional, removable wind break that reduces turbulent airflow in the front cabin, all-season open-top grand touring is made possible by these luxurious comfort features.
CONTEMPORARY ROOF MATERIALS AND COLOUR RANGE
Customers can choose from seven exterior roof colours, including for the first time a contemporary interpretation of traditional British tweed. Additionally, with eight interior roof liner finishes, up to 56 individual combinations can be chosen to suit a customer’s specification.
Bentley’s head of colour and trim, Maria Mulder, comments: ”The popularity of modern-day tweed has been increasing in respect to classic heritage and the honesty of materials. We’ve seen tweed used in contemporary high-end electronic product design, as well as through interior design, complementing surfaces and textures with this crafted combination of natural coloured threads.
“With the GT Convertible we wanted to add a contemporary tweed hood to the extensive range of colours we already offer. The artisanal skill came in blending the two carefully selected colours used in the design – so that their combination could harmonise with the exterior paint palette. The balance of yarn colours – combined with the stable technical weave construction – has given us a unique look adding to the contemporary surfaces of this beautifully designed convertible.”
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