British Beauty: Bentley Releases Continental GTC

Last September, Bentley released the new Continental GT. The original car was launched in 2003, and it followed a typical eight-to-ten year life span for Bentley's products. The new model freshens the car and updates it with the latest technology. The original Continental is still stunning, and the new model car builds on that.

One of the biggest changes in the works for the new Continental is the availability of a 4.0-liter turbocharged V-8. That engine is slated to be announced at the North American International Auto Show in January. It will serve as the new entry-level model for Bentley, which has traditionally only sold cars with 12-cylinders.

A little over a year after releasing the coupe model, Bentley has opened the floodgates on the GTC convertible model. Bentley waited a little longer between introducing a coupe and convertible last time; the previous-generation GTC premiered in 2006.

The new car is built using aluminum techniques to save weight and provide for a "coach built experience." According to Bentley, the GTC has a "tailored, multi-layered fabric hood (soft top) that is complemented by acoustic glass and under-body panels, for optimum noise isolation." We're surprised Bentley hasn't made the GTC in a retractable hardtop form. Perhaps that model could come later? As usual for a Bentley convertible though, it is stunning, especially with the top down. We've included a gallery of some of our favorites below.