2023 Bentley Continental GT Convertible

The Bentley Continental GT Convertible isn't the most practical, quick, or even luxurious grand tourer around, but lop off the roof, and you end up with a style icon. The 2023 Bentley Continental GT Convertible is an ode to the well-heeled and serenades its occupants with lashings of opulence and feelings of grandeur - and that's precisely why so many love it. Powered by a twin-turbo V8 engine producing 542 horsepower - or the 650-hp W12 in the Mulliner spec - the Bentley Continental GT drop-top is a British muscle car with the interior of a five-star luxury hotel. Its existence goes against everything the world should be prioritizing right now, but you can't deny the charm and status of slipping behind the wheel. It's pure unadulterated excess, although its competitors, the Aston Martin DB11 Volante and the Rolls Royce Dawn aren't any different. A top-end BMW M8 Convertible is significantly cheaper - so is the slick drop-top Conti GT worth the money?

Don't let its grand touring label, hefty curb weight, or sheer size fool you: this Bentley begs to be driven hard, and it rewards the driver with an engaging and fun experience that isn't as easy to find in this corner of the market as one might think. Sure the BMW M8 or a Porsche 911 Convertible might be more fun, but this thing churns out smiles faster than you can say, "Louis Vuitton." When cruising along in its most relaxed mode, the GT convertible is a supremely comfortable and pliant thing to drive, and the three-chamber air suspension soaks up bumps without feeling too slushy. Activate sport mode, and things tighten up nicely, with that twin-turbo V8 engine and all-wheel-drive system working perfectly to claw the Continental GT convertible out of corners despite its heft. Throw the Continental around a set of tight corners, and it will reveal its weight, but Bentley has done a stellar job of masking it through a solid chassis and suspension setup and some clever electronic wizardry.

At this end of the car spectrum, buyers will be looking for style and luxury above banal things like practicality or fuel consumption, and the good news is that the 2023 Bentley Continental GT Convertible ticks all the boxes the ultra-rich would look for in a luxury car. The exterior is gorgeous, even better with the roof down. The interior is sumptuous, as plush as they come, and the ride is silky smooth. Even the V8 engine and surprisingly engaging chassis deliver when called upon. Sure there isn't much in the way of cargo space or general practicality, but that doesn't matter when the sun is out, and the top is off. It remains an icon, regardless of our opinion, anyway.