Bentley Continental GT Convertible unveiled: prices, specs and release

Bentley has just lifted the lid on a convertible version of its all-new Continental GT grand tourer.

The Continental GT Convertible is almost identical to the coupe version of the car it’s based on. The standard car’s sleek fixed roof has been removed and replaced by a fabric top that folds away into a small compartment behind the cabin.

It only takes 19 seconds to raise or lower the roof and this can be done at speeds of up to 30mph, says Auto Express. Buyers can spec their fabric roof in one of seven colours, including a “contemporary tweed finish.”

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Removing the roof can present handling issues as the top of the car is a key structural point. To limit the effect, which is known as chassis flexing, engineers often reinforce certain areas of the vehicle and this can add extra weight.

The GT Convertible is no exception. It weighs 160kg more than its hard top sibling, Autocar reports.

But the extra weight doesn’t appear to have had much of an impact on the car’s performance, the magazine says. The GT Convertible is capable of sprinting from 0-62mph in just 3.8 seconds – 0.1 seconds slower than the hard top – and on to a top speed of 207mph, which matches the standard car.

Bentley has left the regular Continental GT’s 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 engine untouched for the drop-top, says Evo. This means the GT Convertible boasts a power output of 626bhp and 664lb-ft of torque, making it roughly 100bhp and 110lb-ft more powerful than its Aston Martin DB11 Volante rival.

The car also has a 48v electrical system plucked from Bentley’s sister company Porsche, the magazine says, and this manages an anti-roll feature that keeps the GT Convertible stable around twisty corners.

Orders for the Continental GT Convertible will open next spring, says Auto Express, with prices starting at £175,100. This means the new open-top grand tourer is nearly £25,000 more expensive than the coupe.