2012 Bentley Continental GTC

Bentley’s Continental GT, updated and facelifted earlier this year, has passed its styling and technical tweaks onto its convertible stablemate, the Continental GTC.

As with the coupé, the GTC gets a new Mulsanne-inspired face, featuring a new headlight design, a new front bumper and a softer top line along the front quarter panels. At the rear end, there’s a more defined boot-lid and rear deck, along with squarer rear fenders and updated tail-lights. For the first time, the GTC also gets 21-inch wheels as standard.

Inside, the topless four-seater gets a revised dash design, including a new touch-screen display – complete with a 30gb hard drive for navigation and entertainment.

Like the hardtop, the GTC is powered by an upgraded E85-compatible 6.0-litre W12 engine producing 430 kW and 700 Nm of torque – up from 412 kW and 65 0Nm. Thanks to its new power figures, the 2011 Continental GT shuffles to 100 km/h in a heady 4.8 seconds, just 0.4 seconds of the coupé’s run.

With a global debut scheduled for the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, South African availability for the new GTC has still to be confirmed.