Bentley Continental GTC 2013: Road Test

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory & delivery charges): $407,000
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): Contrast stitching $3660, dark grey metallic hood $4018, Mulliner driving specifications $24,524, deep pile overmats $765, twin front armrests $457, massage and ventilation for front seats $2180, wind deflector $1043, power boot opening and closing $1802, rear view camera $2273, NAIM premium audio $14,064, privacy handset for Bluetooth $872, neck warmer $1923, first aid kit $243, space saving spare wheel $1208.
Crash rating: N/A
Fuel: 95 RON PULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 10.9
CO2 emissions (g/km): 254
Also consider: Aston Martin DB9 Volante (from $380,500 plus ORCs); BMW M6 Cabrio (from $308,145 plus ORCs); Ferrari California (from $459,295 plus ORCs); Maserati GranCabrio MC (from $355,000 plus ORCs); Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG (from $466,145 plus ORCs); Porsche 911 Turbo S (from $463,100 plus ORCs)

Everything about the Bentley Continental GTC V8 attracts attention. There's the bluff brick outhouse look, the $407,000 price tag and the deep, satisfying soundtrack of its new twin-turbo 4.0-litre engine.

But perhaps even more gob-smacking are the mountain of options that drive the on-road price close to $500,000 and the kerb weight that undercuts 2.5 tonnes by only a few kilograms.

It makes the convertible Conti V8 a bit of a conundrum; revere it for an exquisite build quality and mechanical excellence or revile it for being a creature of excess in a world where most people struggle for day-to-day existence.

That might all sound a bit heavy and philosophical for a road test of a new car, but you do tend to ponder such things idling through the traffic surrounded by vehicles which would not demand even one tenth the price.

For mine, I find it impossible to really like the Conti GTC as a result. Clearly it is a car built up to a standard and not down to a price and as a result the price that is charged is damned expensive.

And this is the cheaper version...

So, time for some background then. Bentley, the archetypal British brand is owned by Volkswagen. Since 2003 the Continental GT has been the cornerstone of its sales success. Using fundamentally the same architecture as the VW Phaeton limo, it has been offered as a coupe, four-door 'Flying Spur' and four-seat convertible GTC, all powered by a W12 6.0-litre engine.

The second-generation Conti arrived in 2011, initially only with the W12 engine. However, the Audi 4.0-litre V8 with cylinder deactivation was added to the line-up in 2012.

So the price of the GTC V8 drops by about $70,000 compared to the W12, power drops from 411kW to 373kW while torque rises from 650Nm to 660Nm. Fuel consumption improves from 14.9L/100km to a claimed 10.9L/100km. Okay, so we are not saving the planet here by any means, but it is a small step (roll?) in the right direction.

The good news is you are hardly likely to notice the difference in performance from W12 to V8 because the latter is deep, strong, smooth and responsive – reflecting the 1700 to 5000rpm peak torque spread. Nor will you ever sense the transition between V4 and V8 modes.

The engine’s character is intriguing, more of a digger than a revver. Plenty of the ZF auto’s gears seem superfluous as a result. The top few are fine for cruising, third for the tighter stuff and that's about it. There are shift paddles on the steering wheel but there's no real point really.

After all, it's not like you are going to be zapping through the gears and really attacking are you?

Well, if you are, prepare for disappointment. The GTC is heavy, partly because it is all-wheel drive. That combination overlayed by significant width (1944mm excluding mirrors), light and approximate steering and initially wooden braking feel means it is less sports and more cruiser.

And then it really excels. If the weather is right, drop that fully automatic four-layer cloth roof (which can be done at speeds up to 30km/h), relax and enjoy the serenity. Front seat passengers are fundamentally unruffled by the breeze with the windows up. If the weather isn't co-operative then leave the roof in-place and enjoy near-hardtop levels of peace and quiet.

You won't notice much intrusion from the road's crags and crook bits either.

The adjustable air suspension dealt with most issues skilfully, even though our test car was fitted with optional 275/35ZR21 rubber at both ends. There is little evidence of the body being weakened by chopping off the roof either, just the occasional shimmy up the steering column.

Needless to say this comfortable ambience is emphasised within the cabin, where wood veneers, dead cow, quality carpet and real metals -- not polished plastics -- including a gear lever that feels and looks like it has been machined from solid -- abound. It is all beautifully stitched, glued and assembled together.

Despite the 8.0-inch monitor mounted high in the centre stack, there is a sense of tradition here too; analogue dials, gauges and clock. There are a couple of VW Group parts bin controls, but they aren’t too obvious or insulting. The front seats are almost lasciviously cocooning. Back seat space is tighter. The boot is large enough to fit a few small bags. A space-saver also fits in there, but it is an option.

Which brings up back to that question of dollars and sense. The GTC is endowed with plenty of standard equipment of course, but there is also a long, long list of things you can spend extra on. I dunno, but at $407,000 before you start ticking extra boxes is that acceptable? And couldn't Bentley have come up with more weight saving measures than just chopping four cylinders off the engine?

Yep, the GTC is beautifully built, nice to cruise in and definitely exclusive (if that's what matters to you). Not sure though, even in this 'greener' V8 iteration, that it's in tune with the requirements and expectations of the times in which we live.

Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...

Don't forget to register to comment on this article.