It is the world's fastest four-seater convertible, with a top speed around 195 mph explorable only on closed highways, a few proving grounds and racetracks, and some stretches of Germany's Autobahn. They are the darling of pro athletes and rap moguls, and every other Chrysler 300C owner wishes he had one. And the Bentley Continentals, spurred no doubt by additions of the Flying Spur, convertible GTC and new for 2008 GT Speed, have become the best-sellers in company history, way ahead of prestige brands like Maybach and Rolls-Royce.

At this strata leading sales charts isn't necessarily a good thing, as buyers dropping $200,000 don't expect to see themselves coming and going. But Bentley seems to enjoy much the same success that Ferrari and Lamborghini do — increasing sales while maintaining demand, and with the exceptions of locales like Monaco, Newport Beach and even Westlake Village occasionally, you won't see two of them at the gas station simultaneously.

And if you did, they won't be identical.

Even before availing oneself of the Mulliner coach world of detail extras like paint to match your sample, the GTC offers 15 exterior colors (three blacks, for example), five exterior top and eight headliner shades, seven interior trim woods, and 17 choices in leather. Then and only then does one consider alternate wheel styles or finishes, whether the stitching will be matched or contrasting, and what patterns, if any, will be sewn in. Some shopaholics will find this experience nearly as rewarding as the drive.

Others could care less about the color because all Continentals drive superbly and are nicely executed. Major parts, including the engine, drive system, and body shell come from abroad and are carefully assembled and crafted into a car in Bentley's long-time home of Crewe, England.

The one-touch starter whirs like a jet engine ramping up, the twin-turbo 6-liter W-12 engine settling into a deep baritone hum; call it the sound of respect. There's no cacophony to disturb the neighbors or call attention, instead almost throwing its voice so those nearby wonder inwardly, "What is that?" On the open road it remains in the background like a distant locomotive, until you open it up and it summons a muzzled growl and lunges forward.

Though saddled with more than 2.5 tons of weight, the six-speed automatic, all-wheel drive and near instant torque get the GTC moving in a hurry — to 60 mph in less than five seconds, and effortlessly toward the horizon. And this is so simple that all you do is point the car where you wish to go and floor the accelerator. Really big brakes fill the 19-inch wheels and retard the GTC with the rate perfectly matched to effort expended on the brake pedal; they remain strong regardless of conditions or speed because one of Bentley's tests is 10 successive stops from 186 mph to 0.

At such high speeds the air suspension automatically lowers itself; it won't drop so far at more average speeds. It constantly adjusts and adapts to inputs from the driver, car and road to provide an ideal blending of ride comfort, directional response and safe grip. You can, of course, override it to one of four manual settings, and the stability control has been refined to the next generation. You can't toss a Continental around a canyon road like a sports car, yet many the sports car pilot will be surprised how well it behaves for such a hefty ride.

Typically convertibles require some tradeoff from their fixed-roof coupe cousins. In this respect the GTC has both advantages and disadvantages over the coupe. As expected, it costs more and loses some trunk space, although it maintains more than adequate space for a long weekend road trip. The folding soft-top has an interior light in it and rear visibility is better than the coupe even with the top up, and it's all as quiet as the coupe. And where the coupe is wider in the rear cabin and sports a center console, the convertible offers significantly more headroom for when the weather is uncooperative.

The cabin marries modern technology with old-school craftsmanship, the sizable steering wheel swathed in two-tone leather yet host to a slew of controls for car functions. Four round vents with traditional "organ stop" pull knobs set off the board-feet of unbleached walnut, while the gauges are deeply inset in nacelles for clear viewing regardless of top-open sunning or night's darkness; unfortunately the navigation screen is not quite so visible in sunlight. Amenities include four-zone climate control, driver memory, heated/cooled front seats, and power assist for virtually everything including closing the doors.

You really have to search hard to find a material that doesn't belong since no detail has been overlooked. Rather than plastic trim, or none at all, the seat tracks end in substantial aluminum bits. The pull tab for the trunk cargo mat is supple leather, as is the edging on the floor mats. There's even a pair of spring loaded covers that surround the trunk latch when it's open, so no small pieces can drop in and be lost.

One expects considerable features and equipment for this weight and tariff, and the GTC does not disappoint. However, don't assume that the starting price of $194,000 will include everything, only that additions will not be inexpensive. Four-thousand-dollar paint upgrades have been seen before, and how good you look in a Moroccan Blue or Bronze Cognac reflection will show the value. Distinction adds $990 for contrast stitching and $490 for a two-tone leather wheel (bargains for the man-hours it takes), and lumbar massage for the front is $540; on the other hand, you might have expected the deep-pile leather-trimmed floor mats ($440) and valet key ($290) to be included.

Think nothing of it, a few grand is nothing to ensure uniqueness in your high-speed chariot. At least until the neighbor arrives in a new 202-mph Speed GT coupe. If you think keeping up with the Joneses is pricey, try doing it with the Rockefeller, Page/Brin, or DuPont contingents.

(Whale, a longtime Ventura County resident, has been breaking parts for 29 years and writing about it for 21.)

2008 Bentley Continental GTC

Engine: 6.0-liter DOHC W-12 twin-turbo, 552 bhp

Length/width/height (in.): 189.1/82.7/55.0

Weight: 5,478 lb

MPG city/hwy/observed: 10/17/15.3

Base warranty: 3 yrs/unlimited miles

Price as tested: $208,955

Alternatives: Aston Martin DB9, Maserati GranSport, Mercedes-Benz SL65