2012 Bentley Continental GTC Supersport 'Ice Speed Record' Edition

Introduced at the New York Motor Show in April 2006, the Bentley Continental GT Convertible (or GTC) benefited from generally being considered affordable, even though it wasn't really, and proved an immediate sales success. The Convertible utilised the same smooth, powerful, twin-turbocharged 6-litre W12 engine as the GT Coupé. Electro-hydraulically operated, the luxuriously padded fabric roof stowed away, neatly revealing an interior of peerless refinement. The GTC was the first open-topped Bentley since the Le Mans-winning cars of the 1930s that could be considered a sports car. The engineering skills and vast budget of Bentley’s parent company had produced a car that was uniquely nimble and luxurious at the same time, with seamless power constantly on tap. With a 0-62mph time of 5.1-seconds, the GTC was the only car in its class that was as comfortable as it was fast.

As the Continental Coupé and Convertible rapidly grew in popularity, a new younger market was, for the first time, tempted away from the likes of Ferrari and Porsche, and as drivers who preferred speed over tweed, Bentley began to develop faster variants. As such, in February 2009, Bentley announced the Continental Supersports, a superb feat of re-engineering that enabled the coupé to reach 62mph from a standing start in just 3.7 seconds, and the convertible followed in 2010. However, it was Bentley’s entry into the Guinness Book of World Records in 2011 that led to the limited production of the fastest ever convertible to wear the winged B, the Continental GTC Ice Speed Record.

Built to commemorate four-times WRC champion Juha Kankkunen’s 205mph ice speed record on a frozen stretch of the Baltic Sea in a Supersports, the ISR was described by Bentley as 'dramatically extrovert'. Limited to just 100 cars globally, the ISR was only available by invitation and, at £189,000, was the most expensive Continental yet. As Bentley’s most powerful car in its 92-year history, the exterior matched the drama with a choice of either Beluga, Quartzite or Arctica White, with contrasting decals matched to two-tone 20" alloys. The interior has a touch of the stylish extrovert about it with the traditional leather piped in Pillar Box Red, and the high-gloss carbon fibre, with a weave tinted in red, furnishes the dashboard and console below a specially-designed red-accented Breitling clock.

More information about this Beluga Black example to follow.