When Bentley and Rolls-Royce were split by BMW and VW in 1998, there were fears that neither firms' ethos would survive the fragmentation. Those were allayed in 2003 when the Continental GT appeared, with potentially huge pace and majestic looks.
The four-door Flying Spur and drop-top GTC were introduced in 2005. In 2009, the limited-edition 621bhp Supersports showed that Bentley was still capable of producing something resembling the most unlikely super-fast bruisers it was famous for.
Some will find it comforting to think of Bentley's implied heavyweight sporting elegance as an intransigent part of Britain's automotive landscape: as evocative as the thwack of willow on leather, the smell of a village pub or the peal of a church bell.
But, in truth, the company is no more resistant to the preoccupations of the 21st century than any other cultural benchmark. And so, like limited-overs cricket or gastropubs, Bentley has moved with the times and, with the considerable help of its German cheque writer, Volkswagen, introduced the green and pleasant version of the Continental GTC that it promised in 2008.
DESIGN
The Continental was always a model child when it came to sharing. Very much a product of Volkswagen's profitable mania for platform recycling, the car infamously shares its underpinnings with the less-than-glamorous Volkswagen Phaeton. The tweaked 6.0-litre W12 engine came as part of the bargain and continues to this day as the 567bhp range-topper. However, with 384g/km of CO2 belching from its 12 cylinders, it must have been clear from the outset that the Bentley engineers would have to delve back into the VW Group parts bin if they hoped to satisfy their directors' environmental boast.
In best downsizing tradition, the forced induction unit they returned with is four pots and 2.0 litres short of the full W, and bristling with Audi technology. Already installed in the S8, the engine's most conspicuous party trick is its capacity for variable displacement (or cylinder deactivation). When the electronic management system detects a throttle opening consistent with a cruise or gentle acceleration, it closes valves in four of the eight cylinders, effectively operating as a V4. Reactivating them takes less than a heartbeat.
Bentley's own 6.75-litre V8 already benefits from a similar function, but the new 4.0-litre unit combines it with improved thermal management, an optimised, on-demand electrical system, lower-rolling-resistance tyres and, most important, the eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox that is responsible for a six per cent gain in efficiency on its own. Although most of these features are the result of Audi's expertise, Bentley is at pains to stress that, while not built there, the engine is finished at Crewe to a bespoke configuration that reduces total output by 13bhp but delivers 7lb ft more torque at 1700rpm.
Compared with the GT, the GTC features a slightly more flared rear spoiler, which helps to taper the drop-top's profile neatly. At the front, the most obvious changes are to the headlights which are now ringed by LED lamps - the large, close-set twin headlights have long been a defining feature of the GT.
Externally, the V8-engined GTC has been very gently tailored to differentiate it from the W12 variant. The red enamel background on the winged 'B' badge is a nod to smaller-engined cars of the past, and is complemented by the gloss black mesh of a new radiator grille and air intakes. At the back, two 'figure eight' exhaust pipes have been added to signify the cylinder count up front.
INTERIOR
Bentley may have deferred to another member of the Volkswagen family to source the GTC's V8 hardware, but in terms of interior ambience it has no peer. Partly this is because of the kind of deep-seated heritage and expertise that only ancient British marques espouse, but mostly it's because a cumbersome brief is accomplished without conspicuous effort. Looking at the GTC's innards, one would think that opulence and broad-shouldered athleticism go naturally hand in hand. They do not. It's only a sure hand, clever broad strokes, superb finish and timeless material choices that prevent the convertible from dissolving into an ungainly mess.
As with the exterior, subtle alterations have been made to distinguish the V8 car. A new veneer, Dark Fiddleback Eucalyptus (a name certainly worth repeating), features heavily on the fascia and trim, offset by the textured metallic finish of the dashboard and switchgear. Elsewhere, soft-touch leather abounds - offered in a choice of eight single-tone colours - apart from the headlining, which is now finished in Elidae cloth. The fully automated, four-layer hood is also available in eight colours and it does its job impeccably. At idle, the GTC recorded a reverential 42db, but it is not so insulated that the finer points of the eight-cylinder soundtrack fail to register at a glorious 79db high.
Of course, the best way to experience it is with the roof lowered. The GTC looks, sounds and scintillates better with wind added. Choose the right options, and it is viable in a remarkably wide range of ambient temperatures. Naturally, the seats are heated as standard, but in March the added neck warmer will convince you to stay out in the open, and in August the seat back ventilation will negate a return to the shade.
Unsurprisingly, the satellite navigation is inherited from Volkswagen, and although that may be a credibility handicap, its functionally is largely beyond reproach. The GTC shares many of the features one would find in a top-of-the-line Volkswagen. A television tuner can be selected from the options list if you wish, while the standard CD tuner has sufficient guts to be heard above the wind. However, it takes quite some time to get bored of the sound emanating from under the bonnet.
PERFORMANCE
Any lingering doubt you might have had that, with the removal of four cylinders, Bentley might have removed some of the more compelling aspect's of the Continental's performance linger no longer than it takes for your right foot to propel the pedal from rest to carpet.
The GTC accelerates from a standstill to 60mph in 4.5 sec, and on to 100mph in just 10.8sec. Given that, a few moments earlier, the V8 had tipped our scales at a fairly monumental 2530kg, that is no mean feat. Bentley's aim was to reduce fuel consumption with this car but, evidently, didn't necessarily ally that to a particular drop in weight. It's only 15kg less than the W12 GTC we road tested in 2006.
However, it isn't so much the acceleration figures that impress, as the way that the V8 GTC goes about its business.
As befits a car sporting a winged 'B' on its prow, the GTC has a duality of character. Woofle about at low speeds and low revs and it'll shift gears on the eight-speed auto 'box almost imperceptibly, while emitting the kind of muted yet powerful-sounding exhaust 'whump' that makes a pleasing accompaniment to any automotive promenade.
But just how much performance does it have compared with its W12 predecessor? Ample. The W12 convertible we road tested in 2006 actually wanted longer - 5.0sec - to hit 60mph from rest. As far as we're concerned, unless you're particularly fascinated by the engineering layout of the 6.0-litre W12 model, there is absolutely no reason to look beyond the V8, particularly given the extra economy that it offers, which we'll come to in a moment.
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