Bentley has wasted no time to whip the top off its Continental GT Speed, whichthe Crewe-based manufacturer released last month.The Continental GT Speed Convertible may be slightly slower than its tin-top sibling (from 0 to 100 kph), but it makes an even bolder statement than the coupe…

When the coupe version of the Continental GT Speed was unveiled last month, it incorporated a number of upgrades to distinguish itself asmore of awieldy driver's car than the standard Continental GT; these optimisations included an electronic rear differential (eLSD), a 4-wheel steering setup, an enhanced chassis, active anti-roll technology, as well as standard air suspension with active damping.

The Continental GT Speed Convertible carries over these upgrades;its twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre W12 produces 485 kW and 900 Nm, compared with the standard car's 467 kW and 900 Nm. There is a small, no, trifle downside to the newcomer's open-topped extravagance: Whereasthe coupe version is said to sprint from 0 to 100 kph in 3.5sec, the convertible takes 0.2seclonger, although the top speed's the same:335 kph.Bentley has also retuned the 8-speed automatic transmission to deliver gearshifts that are twice as fast as those of the standard car, as well as more responsive downshifts.

If you're worried about coming to a stop in a hurry from the velocities that the Continental GT Speed Convertible is clearly easily capable of achieving, Bentley will fit your car with a carbon-ceramic braking packagethat's lighter than the standard setup.The vehicle rides on 22-inch Speed wheels, which can be specified in a choice of 3 colours.

The customisation options don't stop there, of course.Buyers can choose from15 options for the interior leather trim, a further 11 options for the contrast hide (and stitching, we guess) and no fewer than 8 different roof-liner colours. Apparently, Bentley has made a number of improvements to the convertible's soft top to renderthe newcomer "as quiet inside as the previous generation coupe".

Inside, apart from the application of "Speed" detailing and model-specific sportssills, Bentley offers an optional Dark Tint Engine Turned Aluminium technical finish for the newcomer's centre console.

The Bentley Continental GT Speed will arrive in localshowrooms during the 4th quarter of 2021;we expect the Convertible to follow soon thereafter. Pricing will be announced closer to the time.

Further reading:

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