Continental GTC
Discussion
Sorry if its a repost.....
“The Continental GTC is the most distinctive new Bentley yet,” explains Bentley Motors’ Chairman and Chief Executive, Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen. “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.”
To ensure that the design was not compromised in any way, the Continental GTC’s engineering team was charged with creating a completely new rear suspension package that allowed the rear design of the car to be kept as compact as possible while still giving enough space to stow the roof when folded. Similarly, a great deal of time was spent on ensuring that the soft fabric roof is perfectly taut and not ‘bowed’ or ‘pitched’ when raised.
The front seats have a new sculpted rear which produces an additional 30mm (1.2 inches) of knee-space in the rear.
There was one clear target when Bentley’s engineering team began work on the Continental GTC: to create a convertible that drives exactly like its coupe counterpart. By removing the roof – an integral part of the body structure that provides stiffness to the chassis – a convertible has a tendency to shake or vibrate when driven.
Consequently, the Continental GTC’s engineers were determined to rid the car of any such ’scuttle shake’ and began an extensive development programme aimed at ensuring the Continental GTC’s steel body had a torsional stiffness in the region of 30Hz – an incredible figure for a convertible.
To hit that target the engineers added significant steel reinforcement to the sills as well as additional cross braces that run beneath the cabin. Strengthened steel tubing was also used in the A-pillars and windscreen surround. To remove unwanted resonance – as vital a task as ensuring stiffness – a great deal of time was also spent improving the mountings for the rear subframe. Despite the significant reinforcement to the car’s body, the weight of the car has risen by just 110kg over the Continental GT coupe, to 2495kg (5500lb).
To ensure occupant safety, an advanced rollover protection system is installed beneath the rear headrests. If the car’s onboard computer senses that the car is about to roll during an accident, two reinforced steel hoops are deployed in a split second, thereby working in conjunction with the exceptionally strong windshield frame to protect passengers in the front and rear seats.
“The Continental GTC is the most distinctive new Bentley yet,” explains Bentley Motors’ Chairman and Chief Executive, Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen. “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.”
To ensure that the design was not compromised in any way, the Continental GTC’s engineering team was charged with creating a completely new rear suspension package that allowed the rear design of the car to be kept as compact as possible while still giving enough space to stow the roof when folded. Similarly, a great deal of time was spent on ensuring that the soft fabric roof is perfectly taut and not ‘bowed’ or ‘pitched’ when raised.
The front seats have a new sculpted rear which produces an additional 30mm (1.2 inches) of knee-space in the rear.
There was one clear target when Bentley’s engineering team began work on the Continental GTC: to create a convertible that drives exactly like its coupe counterpart. By removing the roof – an integral part of the body structure that provides stiffness to the chassis – a convertible has a tendency to shake or vibrate when driven.
Consequently, the Continental GTC’s engineers were determined to rid the car of any such ’scuttle shake’ and began an extensive development programme aimed at ensuring the Continental GTC’s steel body had a torsional stiffness in the region of 30Hz – an incredible figure for a convertible.
To hit that target the engineers added significant steel reinforcement to the sills as well as additional cross braces that run beneath the cabin. Strengthened steel tubing was also used in the A-pillars and windscreen surround. To remove unwanted resonance – as vital a task as ensuring stiffness – a great deal of time was also spent improving the mountings for the rear subframe. Despite the significant reinforcement to the car’s body, the weight of the car has risen by just 110kg over the Continental GT coupe, to 2495kg (5500lb).
To ensure occupant safety, an advanced rollover protection system is installed beneath the rear headrests. If the car’s onboard computer senses that the car is about to roll during an accident, two reinforced steel hoops are deployed in a split second, thereby working in conjunction with the exceptionally strong windshield frame to protect passengers in the front and rear seats.
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