Description
This lot will be auctioned via Iconic Auctioneers, The November Online Timed Auction on Thursday the 28th of November, Online. Background:
Introduced at the New York Motor Show in April 2006, the Bentley Continental GT Convertible (or GTC) added a soft-top option to the already successful Continental GT coupé. The new Continental had been introduced as a more affordable Bentley range, while still preserving the exclusivity, luxury, and – crucially – performance, which the Crewe marque had traditionally espoused. The coupé had proved an immediate sales success, and the reaction to the new convertible promised much the same reception from potential buyers.
Since time immemorial, car manufacturers have struggled with slicing the top off their saloons and retaining a degree of stiffness, and Bentley naturally encountered the same problem. Scuttle-shake is not, however, what Bentley buyers pay for, so, determined to engineer the most torsionally rigid open four-seater that money could buy, the Crewe manufacturer incorporated additional steel tubing within the newcomer's A-posts and windscreen frame, reinforced its sills, and cross-braced the floorplan to a greater degree. The result was a class-leading 16, 595 lb/ ft per degree, which was not far from the car's tin-topped sibling.
The Convertible utilised the same smooth, powerful, twin-turbocharged 6-litre W12 engine, Torsen-based permanent four-wheel-drive system, massive ABS-backed disc brakes, and sophisticated all-round independent air suspension.
Electro-hydraulically operated, the Bentley's luxuriously padded fabric roof not only stowed away neatly but provided almost limousine levels of refinement. Reputedly capable of over 190mph with the top down, the GTC featured two sturdy steel hoops concealed beneath its rear headrests, which could be deployed within fractions of a second if the onboard computer sensed an impending roll. Arguably more of a 2+2 than a true four-seater, the Bentley could raise or lower its hood at speeds of up to 20mph – always a bonus in capricious British weather conditions.
This Crewe-built car's numbers are impressive; with a twin-turbo 6-litre W12 producing 552bhp and 479lb/ ft of torque fed through a 6-speed automatic gearbox and distributed by the Torsen-based permanent four-wheel-drive system, a 0-60 sprint time of 4. 8 seconds and a quoted top speed of 195mph are significant for a car of this stature, very much living up to Bentley’s traditional values of combining luxury with more-than-ample performance.
The car:
This stunning Bentley GTC was supplied new by Handley Green Bentley on 15th April 2009, finished in a truly stunning combination of Black Onyx over a Beluga interior with Burr Walnut trim. The car was also specced with the range-topping "Mulliner Driving Specification," which includes 21" wheels, drilled alloy sport pedals, sporting gear lever, diamond-quilted hide, and embroidered Bentley emblem seat facings. The car was further enhanced with convenience specification, deep pile carpets, coming home controls, and a space-saver wheel, all specified as options at additional cost.
Accompanying the vehicle is its original book pack with handbook and 15-times-stamped service book (11 of which from a Bentley main dealer). The low mileage is easily backed up by service records and MOTs.
The car is supplied with a full MOT until October 2025 and has been freshly serviced, making it a stress-free ownership prospect.
Summary:
A beautifully specced and low-mileage luxury cruiser.
Location: LondonSeller: TradePhotos: Professional
