The popularity of convertibles has been much more resistant to the SUV trend which significantly dropped the sales of virtually all coupes. It was only natural then that Bentley makes another, less expensive convertible next to the Azure and the versatile Continental GT platform was the obvious choice. And today, it’s obvious that it was the right choice as the GTC is currently the only Bentley convertible on sale. Of course, that’s not that surprising as the GTC is virtually just as fast in the real world as the coupe GT which back then had virtually the same performance as many high-end sports cars. That made the 2008 Continental GTC one of the fastest convertibles on the market at the time, not to mention one of the most comfortable and luxurious ones as well. Even today the GTC turns heads wherever it goes and despite being significantly more expensive than the GT when it was new, today it’s actually quite a bit cheaper. And if you are in the market for one, check out the ones currently available here at Exotic Car Trader before we go into more detail.
The first model Bentley ever made under VW that had no relations to earlier models was the Continental GT which came out in 2004. The Continental GT strayed away from Rolls Royce built Bentleys significantly. For one, performance was much more important than before, and price as well. That took Bentley out of direct competition with Rolls Royce and while it did down market the brand to some extent, it turned out to be a great success. Only a year later a four-door version of the Continental GT came out, known as the Flying Spur, and in 2007, at last, the first convertible GT came out, now called the GTC. The GTC was an instant hit and still continues to be produced today despite the ever growing SUV trend. As for the 2008 Continental GT, it didn’t get any notable changes over the 2007 model. The GT coupe got a major refresh in 2008, but the GTC got those same changes a year later in 2009. The 2008 model only got the newer navigation system and Bluetooth connectivity as standard instead of it being optional.
The interior of the 2008 Continental GTC is pretty much identical to the GT. The overall design is still heavily reminiscent of nineties and eighties Bentley/Rolls Royce models. The dashboard is tall and symmetrical with huge wood inlays as well as leather. Even the gauge cluster is entirely covered with wood while the center console was slightly shorter with a beautiful analog clock on top. The gauge cluster still reads 210 mph as it does in the GT reminding the driver that this isn’t just a laid back luxury car. The infotainment system is pulled straight from VW and while it was one of the best systems back then, today it looks heavily outdated and is the only thing that doesn’t look absolutely perfect inside. As for the rear seats, the GT isn’t that spacious and the GTC even less so. The seats are now much narrower although legroom and headroom are still the same and acceptable. However, the GTC is still based on a 2+2 coupe, so the rear passengers were never meant to ride in utmost comfort.
The exterior of the GTC is again the same as the GT. The 2009 model got a slightly steeper front grille, but the 2008 model still uses the same grille as the coupe. The bumper still has the same aggressive intakes, and the wheels are arguably even nicer than they are on standard GTs. They are bigger, and more elegant, going really well with the overall design. The side profile maintains the same two lines with the front one beautifully flowing over the front wheel and into the doors. And then the rear line which kicks up over the rear wheel looks just as muscular as it does on the coupe. The rear is pretty much identical with two enormous oval exhausts and much fussing about beside that. The only downside to the GTC is that the fabric roof doesn’t maintain the same line as the coupe and instead makes the GTC somewhat resemble a three-box sedan. But with the top down, the GTC is an absolute stunner. It’s also worth noting that the GTC has 30% less trunk space than the coupe but at 9.2 cubic feet, it’s still fairly generous for a relatively small convertible.
The 2008 Continental GTC uses the same powertrain as the GT. And that’s the VW W12 engine with two turbochargers and six liters of displacement. The enormous W12 made 560 horsepower back in 2008 and 479 lb-ft of torque. That was good for a 5.1 second sprint to 60 and a top speed of 195 mph. To put it into perspective, that’s 0.3 seconds slower to sixty than the GT with a 2 mph lower top speed. Although, with the top down, the top speed dropped to 189 mph due to increased aerodynamic drag. The GTC is slower thanks to all the extra weight it gained through additional structural support. The GTC weighed a total of 5,478 lbs. which is quite an increase over the GT with its 5,180 lbs. The extra weight also meant the GTC stopped slightly worse but a year later it too got the optional carbon ceramic brakes. But even the standard brakes in the 2008 Continental GTC are plenty for the average driver. The GTC also shares the same four wheel drive system and the six speed automatic transmission with the GT and the Flying Spur.
The 2008 Continental GTC was noticeably more expensive than the GT when it was new. The GTC started at $193,000 in the US which is $18,000 more than the GT. Today, however, the GTC goes for much less on average than the GT. 2008 Continental GTCs nowadays go for between $40,000 and $50,000 with relatively low miles and in good condition. Those in showroom condition or with showroom miles will sometimes fetch $70,000 but that’s rare. The GT on the other hand is usually 10-20% more expensive making the GTC an even bigger bargain.
Ultimately, you will hardly find a car that costs as much as a 2008 Continental GTC while still looking like it’s worth well over six figures. At the same time, the GTC doesn’t look like it has aged one bit, and the performance is still on par with even some modern sports cars. And in terms of comfort and luxury, the GTC is still one of the best cars ever made. Since prices have never been lower for a GTC, now is the right time to buy one through Exotic Car Trader. Exotic Car Trader will make the entire purchasing process as convenient as it gets while offering escrow services, delivery, first inspection and handling all the paperwork. The same goes if you are looking to sell a car through Exotic Car Trader and even if you want to trade it with one of our current sellers.
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