Bentley lifts the lid on stunning convertible Bentley has taken the wraps off its new luxury 2+2 convertible, the Continental GTC.

When the stunning convertible goes on sale later this year it will complete the Bentley Continental model range, following the introduction of the highly successful Continental GT in 2003 and four-door Continental Flying Spur in 2005.

A Bentley spokesman said: "With a top speed of 195mph, a sophisticated all-wheel drive system, state-of-the-art 12-cylinder engine, advanced air suspension and ultra-stiff body structure, the Continental GTC displays all the poise, exhilarating performance and dynamic handling of the Continental GT.

"In common with its stable mates, the interior of the new Continental GTC provides an unrivalled standard of craftsmanship, utilising natural wood veneers and leather hides of the finest quality, which are on full display when you lower the elegant, electro-hydraulically operated soft-top roof."

Bentley Motors' chairman and chief executive, Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen, said: "The Continental GTC is the most distinctive new Bentley yet.

"It is very elegant and at the same time effortlessly modern. It will appeal to many different customers: people who are tired of driving sports cars that require too much effort; people who want to move up from more standard convertibles; and people who want to make a statement about what they drive, yet still own a car that they can use every day of the year."

Bentley Motors' design director Dirk van Braeckel said: "The sporting stance of the Continental GTC is unique and quite different from the Continental GT coup, with its compact soft top and longer rear deck. And with the roof down, the exterior becomes a showcase for the hand-crafted interior."

The head of exterior design, Raul Pires, said: "Our ambition was to produce a design that was simple and elegant that was very important. We worked very closely with the engineers to get a very clean rear deck and bootlid. If you look at the front and the rear of the car you can see we achieved this by echoing the flow of the bonnet lines into the radiator at the front with the bootlid lines into the rear bumper. It gives the car real balance."

The Continental GTC becomes the second convertible in the current Bentley range. It follows the recently announced return of the evocative Azure name for Bentley's Arnage-derived flagship, four-seater convertible.

The Bentley Continental GTC will begin its global roll-out from the end of 2006 and the price will be announced closer to the launch date.