54 NAPLES ILLUSTRATED
ESCAPE
emember Toblerone? How could a true chocoholic forget? One
nibble and that hedonistic concoction of milky cocoa, nougat,
almonds, and honey will be imprinted on your taste buds forever.
Even if you can’t recall the taste, you’ll certainly remember the dis-
tinctive pyramidic shape of each morsel. And how each triangle is
squeezed perfectly into that yellow and red cardboard packaging. The
candy’s most differentiating trait is all thanks to Swiss chocolatier The-
odor Tobler, who came up with the unique form back in 1908.
What, you may ask, has Toblerone got to do with the magnificent
new 2020 Bentley Continental GT convertible I’ve been driving? More
than you think.
It seems to have served as the inspiration behind one of the coolest,
surprise-and-delight features of this third-generation Continental. Press
one of the shiny-chrome buttons on the Bentley’s mirror-varnished
dash and watch in awe as the 12.3-inch touchscreen rotates, revealing a
second panel with three handsome analog dials. Press again and you’ll
get a third panel of dashboard-matching veneer.
Bentley says that this triple-sided rotating display can reduce driver
distraction on the move. Me? I love that the trio of circular dials givesthe car a cool ’60s retro vibe. I mean, why use a navigation screen when
you have a compass?
All the superlatives in Webster’s don’t come close to describing the
overpowering joy of piloting this reimagined Bentley convertible.
Based closely on the all-new Continental GT coupe, this GT droptop
combines elegance, blistering performance, driving sophistication,
and handcrafted luxury in one divine grand touring package.
Style-wise, it’s just gorgeous. I adore the wider grille, the more chis-
eled lines, the broader shoulders covering those optional 22-inch rims.
And feast your peepers on the new ovoid LED headlamps reminiscent
of the finest cut-crystal goblets. They’re just a work of art.
As before, there’s a tight-fitting cloth top that can raise or lower in 19
seconds and at speeds of up to 30 mph. Buyers can choose from seven
fabric colors and, for the first time, a tweed cloth. But the greatest ele-
vation in appeal comes with the redesigned interior. Bentley’s artisans
have taken diamond quilting to a new level with raised 3-D quilting for
the door panels. Settle into the new 20-way-adjustable front seats and
enjoy more side support and neck warmers that’ll keep you toasty on
chilly days (when and if they ever come).Bentley’s new V-8-engined Continental GT
convertible is one DELICIOUS confection
Sugar RUSH
HIGH ROAD
By Howard WalkerR