I am a long time 6speeder but have spent very little time in the Bentley area. We had an '08 GTC that we bought used but traded it a few years ago. Last week we placed an order for a 2013 GTC. Since the first GTC was used, this is our first venture into ordering exactly what we want. (I hope) Below is how we speced the car. Any comments, both good or bad, would be appreciated. Also any advice on options we should not have ordered or should have ordered.

The exterior is Thunder.
Main Hide - Portland
SecondaryHide - Brunel
Seat Outer and Headrest - Brunel
Veneer - Burr Walnut
Seat Belts - Brunel
Carpet - Brunel
Roof Interior - Gray
Outer Console and Front Fascia - Brunel
Waistrails and Tonneau Cover - Brunel
Cantrails - Brunel
Steering Wheel - Wood & Brunel
Contrast Stitching and Steering Wheel - Portland
Embroidered Emblems - Portland
Front Armrest - Brunel
Gear Lever - Brunel
Door Panels - Burr Walnut

Options are:

Mulliner Driving Specification (Polished Wheel)
21" x 9.5" 5-spoke 2-piece polished alloy wheels with 275/35ZR21 tires;
Jewel fuel filler cap;
Knurled Sports gear lever;
Drilled alloy Sports foot pedals;
Embroidered Bentley emblems on seat facings (Ft. Only or Both - Choice)
Quilted leather on seat facings, doors and rear quarter panels;
Indented leather headliner

Extended Driving Specification
Bright chromed lower bumper matrix
Deep pile carpet overmats;
Rear view camera;
Seat ventilation & massage function to front seats
Neck warmer

Adaptive Cruise Control,
Additional Contrast Stitching to Steering Wheel, Contrast Binding to Overmats, Contrast Stitching, Hide Trimmed Gear Paddles, Naim for Bentley Premium Audio System, Space Saving Spare Wheel, Valet Key, Veneer Door Inserts and Rear Quarter Inserts, Wood and Hide Steering Wheel (3 Spoke)

Thanks for any input.

 

Good choices!

Apart from the colors I've got most of your options on my 2012 CGT. And apart from the jewel filler cap for which I see no real advantage, all the rest of the hardware is essential to make this graceful beast useful at the highest level.

Keep us up to date on your progress!

 

Equipment: This GTC is equipped very nicely. I wanted to see if you included the 21" wheels, Jewel fuel filler cap, Knurled Sports gear lever, space saver tire, Bright chromed lower bumper matrix, Deep pile carpet overmats, Rear view camera, Seat ventilation & massage function to front seats, Neck warmers (really cool for a GTC in particular), Adaptive Cruise Control and Veneer Door Inserts and Rear Quarter Inserts. IMHO, the polished (polished and painted - correct) are superior to the chrome in that the 21" are more susceptible to dings and can be fixed beautifully. Don't ask how I know. I don't know that the chrome wheels are harder to fix, I just suspect that is the case. The space saver tire came with my GTC but not with the GTC I ordered. I thought it was just a smaller spare tire. It turns out that if you don't order it you will have not have a spare tire at all. I haven't had a flat tire in decades but I just like having it available. The Wood and Hide Steering Wheel (3 Spoke) is great. I had one on my GT and ordered it on the GTC. However the GTC I wound up with does not have it. The Jewel fuel filler cap and the Knurled Sports gear lever are lovely touches. You will appreciate the wonderful style of the Jewel fuel filler cap, especially if you pump your own gas, something I haven't done in quite some time.

Colors: Now here is where I need to warn you that I am incapable of judging color configurations on a Continental as I have demonstrated that in the past. I spent hour after hour configuring a new GTC and then waited four long grueling months for delivery only to pick another car off of the show room floor. However, being incapable of something has never deterred me before so here we go. The Thunder is a color I considered at great length and is a fine color. Initially my only concern was the contrast scheme of the interior. Portland, as the main hide, is a wonderful choice and was one of the main reasons I bought my 2012 GT as it had Portland as the main hide. It is light enough to add enough contrast to the secondary hide but will not noticeably soil easily. Brunel is the most logical secondary hide. The only other logical choice would be Imperial Blue, but considering that the paint is Thunder, Brunel is a much better choice. I initially was concerned about the what I thought was an overuse of Brunel, maybe because I love Portland so much. But after going to the Bentley site and configuring the car (something I have done countless times before) I think your choices may produce a stunning automobile. I was initially shocked that you would choose Brunel for the Seat Outer and Headrest. But once I looked at the contrast stitching, my concern turned into ‘Wow‘ - this may be a stunning GTC. In addition, the way you have configured the interior of the car, virtually all of the touch points are of the darker color and therefore will not noticeably soil easily. And as you step back and see how the interior colors compliment each other and make a graceful transition to the exterior, it appears to be a winner. This quality is especially important for a convertible when the top is down. However, again, you will lose your ski hole.

Your thread has reinforced my belief, developed by my past experience with configuring a GTC, that the Continental is wonderfully configurable. It provides us car nuts with a chance to possess a unique work of art as well as a state of the art piece of machinery.

 

I thought that way too until my man Helmet, who tends to my cars, told me that it adds a little excitement when he gasses up the GTC. He was first to point out that the regular plastic gas cap does not measure up to the quality of the rest of the car. When he showed it to me the other day I was quite impressed. I now understand that it is a must have if you want the car to be balanced in appearance.

I had Helmet take the attached photo in order to show you and the others the absolute necessity of owning one. Helmet did add that if you continue to gas your automobiles without one, stand in front of the open gas lid in order to avoid any embarrassment.

 

Helmet? Alter ego maybe? We have to think about your replies now GR

 

It took me a second to identify this "Helmet" character as well...

 

I think I can see his reflection in the jewel cap photo, and it looks a lot like GR to me

 

Helmet, is that what gave it away?

I was merely trying to improve my stature in the forum. Remember the time when Dr. Disaster posted that he, WedgeDuck and I were just a bunch of mouth breathing bottom feeders and that our sole purpose in life was to provide balance to the sophisticated members like KenSilver and EnjoyTheMusic. Well I was just trying to impress our new member ImCarNuts (if that is his real name) and now you guys have ruined it. Now he will think I am some over the top crazy person from Tennessee. Well I can assure you that I am not some over the top crazy person from Tennessee, I am from Texas. So there!

 

Yup. Should have been Helmut and we all would have remained totally fooled by your sophisticated dialog

 

It's measured by age. You and I are still the undisputed top dogs

 

I'm really enjoying this. Proud to soon be a member of this motley crowd. BTW - Name is in the signature - Duffy. The "imcarnuts" came from my wife after a few years of marriage when she said "your f**kin' car nuts." That was about 35 years ago. Still car nuts, still married to the same wonderful woman only now she is as "car nuts" as me. The Bentley will be her DD. We spent hours on the configurator coming up with the design. That thing can become addicting when trying to design a car. What if.... What if....

 

It is grueling and, at the same time, exciting.

Please post pictures when you take delivery. We are excited for both of you.

 

This is truly something to celebrate. Well done.

 

Good idea, they won't let me used my motorcycle helmets on the track. So gotta shop for a Snell SA2010 safety rating helmet. It's good to be a bottom feeder GRwisher, we get to eat the leftovers! Man, so many guys on this forum are getting the 2013. This will surely be a great Xmas for the few . I am stuck with an 850bhp upgraded motor for Xmas, some race seats and a helmet. Bentley can have you sitting at the showroom or on your computer going nuts on decisions. I applaude you guys for having the patience to pick out a Bentley with your wives. I can't do it.., my fiancée would have driven me nuts.

 

The car specs were more than I can picture so I will need a photo. One thing is surely visible and that is you knew what you wanted and I bet you will be pleased.

I bought my used car because i loved the car and never thought much about the parts. I jut saw the interior and black paint and it as more of a gut thing for me thinking it was the most beautiful car i had ever seen.

Welcome to the forum of mostly fine gents.