Buyer’s guide: Bentley Continental GT

By Malcolm McKay

| 14 Apr 2026

Classic & Sports Car – Buyer’s guide: Bentley Continental GT

Why you’d want a Bentley Continental GT

Marketed as the quickest roadgoing Bentley ever, the world’s fastest four-seater and the first all-new (not Rolls-Royce-derived) Bentley model since 1931, the Continental GT would go a long way to recouping Volkswagen’s £1bn investment.

VW’s tour de force Phaeton had failed to capture much of the luxury market, almost all buyers going for the 3-litre diesel option and only tiny numbers picking the superb petrol W12, created by joining two VR6s together.

For Bentley, VW added twin turbos to give a phenomenal – and reliable – 552bhp and 476lb ft, with a huge range of peak torque.

Other features included the largest brakes on a then-current production car and a spoiler that rose from below the rear windscreen at 70mph.

In addition to six external colours on early cars (with others to special order), buyers chose from eight hide colours, five veneer types and four carpet/seatbelt shades.

Choices widened as production continued, especially with the addition of the Mulliner Driving Spec, which ticked most of the option boxes.

Autocar was less impressed with the ride, finding it harsh for a grand tourer especially in the harder of the four damper settings, and the need to swap between them to get the best out of the car became a chore.

The biggest criticism was excessive weight, at almost 2.5 tonnes and, on the test car, intrusive wind noise from the pillarless side windows and engine noise.

The interior was described as ‘on the intimate side of claustrophobic’ and the rear seats could only carry adults for short distances: Bentley pitched the car as ideal for carrying two adults and two children.

The quality of finish and the ambience, though, were flawless. The Breitling clock fitted in the dashboard was a tasteful touch.

Despite the cars’ complexity, low prices are attracting a new breed of daring DiY owners who are finding cost-effective workarounds: membership of clubs and Facebook groups is a huge help in sourcing parts, because most were shared with other VW group models.

For UK buyers, 23 March 2006 is a watershed: cars registered before that date pay £430 a year in tax, from then on it’s £760.

Given luck and a fair amount of skill, it is possible to run this 200mph Bentley on a shoestring, if you can afford the fuel. But do keep a contingency, just in case.

Images: Jack Harrison

Bentley Continental GT: what to look for

Trouble spots

Please see above for what to look for when you check out any Bentley Continental classic cars for sale.

Engine

Cleverly created by joining together two tight-vee VR6 engines and an extremely snug fit under the bonnet, the W12 is robust and durable: low-mileage cars are more likely to give trouble than high-milers.

Water pumps can fail – check the cooling system carefully and be very wary if the engine-warning light remains lit.

Radiators

Water-pump or thermostat failure can cook the engine, as can coolant leaks.

Check the radiators carefully for any evidence of coolant staining or damage.

Wheels and brakes

Alloy wheels are expensive to replace on Bentley Continental GTs, so check their condition as well as inspecting the tyres and brakes.

Tyre-pressure sensors last around five years.

Warning lights

If any of the warning lights stay on when running, check the codes and be prepared to walk away, because access to replace sensors can be horrendous.

Interior

The cabin of a Bentley Continental GT is a delightful place to be, albeit a little cramped in the back, but a neglected interior will be very costly to put right.

Check the headlining for any sagging.

Bentley Continental GT: before you buy

Shared VW components with a superb, bespoke interior kept prices competitive when new and repair costs reasonable now.

The shrink-wrapped bodywork makes even simple jobs time-consuming and costly.

Bentley improved issues over time so early cars, though cheaper to buy and tax, can have painful niggles: a full history will tell you if these have already been addressed.

They include vacuum hoses and the boost control above the gearbox failing through heat; and electrical control modules under the scuttle that get wet and cause weird faults such as windows going down on their own.

Random issues are often prompted by a weak or failing battery: the car has one for starting and another for running everything else.

These super-GTs need to be used, so a Bentley Continental GT that has been sitting around, especially if left outside, will likely have multiple problems.

Read the fault codes, and research issues for cost and complexity of repair.

A misfire is often down to a failed coil pack, which is fiddly but not expensive.

Beware signs of coolant leaks or overheating: it’s front-end off to replace the pump and engine-out for head gaskets, so ensure the temperature doesn’t exceed 90°C.

The transmission rarely gives trouble – if it does, it’s likely to be down to inexpensive (but not very accessible) sensors or control units.

The suspension and brakes do wear, so look for visible damage and listen for clonks: check the handbrake, too.

Air struts can fail and replacements need coding and proper set-up.

Bentley Continental GT price guide

Restoration/average/show* (low-high ranges from 2003-2011 models)

Continental GT: £5-8000/10-16,000/20-30,000
Continental GTC: £10-15,000/16-25,000/28-40,000

^{*Add 5-10% for Mulliner Driving Spec, 15-20% for Speed model, 40-50% for Supersports}

^{Prices correct at date of original publication}

Bentley Continental GT history

2002 Continental GT arrives at Paris Salon

2003 First production cars (December)

2004 Upgrades include voice-activated telephone, more trim options; Mulliner Driving Spec with 20in wheels, drilled alloy pedals, two-tone hide/veneer options

2005 Continental GTC, with Karmann roof

2007 GT facelift: more upright grille, larger air intakes, Servotronic power steering, low-friction dampers, chrome headlight bezels, optional carbon-ceramic brakes. GT Speed Model: 600bhp, 553lb ft, uprated suspension, dark-chrome front grille

2009 GTC facelift and Speed Model, as GT. GT Supersports: 621bhp, 590lb ft, cheek grilles, uprated drivetrain, lower weight, ceramic brakes. Series 51 trim option pack

2010 GTC Supersports added. Second-generation GT replaces first-generation

2011 Second-generation GTC arrives

The owner’s view

“I remember the launch,” says Nigel Robert. “I liked the design, modernising the Bentley marque while blending the classic lines of the R-type Continental.

“I’d wanted an Aston Martin DB7, but this replaced that idea! It epitomises the term ‘gentleman’s express’ – on a long drive you get there and feel as if you have hardly left.

“It’s enjoyable to drive and has a commanding presence – the speed and torque are incredible, and I love the interior ambience.

“I like the traditional Bentley green with tan leather, but its provenance appealed above all. It was a factory car and was filmed on the banking at Nardò; it was owned by a director of the Bentley Drivers Club before I bought it in 2021.

“We have had no horrors so far, just an electronic module failure under the dash that was £1000-plus to trace and fix.

“The risk of big bills is over-perceived – budget £2k a year for specialist servicing, and garage it if you can.”

Also consider

The Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG (left) and Ferrari 612 Scaglietti are alternative buys

MERCEDES-BENZ CL65 AMG

Pricier than all but the Supersports Bentleys, the twin-turbo, 6-litre V12 was the ultimate Mercedes-Benz coupé in luxury and performance. Rare and understated.

Sold 2004-’14 • No. built 973 • Price now £15-75,000*

FERRARI 612 SCAGLLIETTI

All-aluminium with a six-speed manual or paddle-shift, and far costlier than the Continental, the V12 had 533bhp and matched the GT’s 200mph top speed.

Sold 2004-’11 • No. built 3025 • Price now £30-150,000*

^{*Prices correct at date of original publication}

Bentley Continental GT: the Classic & Sports Car verdict

The first-generation Bentley Continental GT sold in phenomenal numbers because it was a world-beater: today, that means a buyer’s market and some examples are now very cheap.

There is usually a reason, however, so shop around and don’t take the plunge until you are 100% confident you’ve found the right car for you, one that you can afford both to buy and to own.

Get the right car and you will enjoy years of luxurious service.

FOR

Huge luxury and performance for the money
(Mostly) VW reliability
Great back-up from fellow owners and specialists makes ownership less scary than it might be

AGAINST

VW main dealers won’t service or sell parts
There is always a risk of a failure that requires costly engine removal for access

Bentley Continental GT specifications

Sold/number built 2003-’11/c34,000
Construction steel monocoque
Engine all-alloy, qohc, 48v 5998cc W12, VVT, twin KKK turbos, sequential injection
Max power 552bhp @ 6100rpm to 621bhp @ 6000rpm
Max torque 479lb ft @ 1600-6100rpm to 590lb ft @ 1700-5600rpm
Transmission ZF six-speed paddle-shift auto, 4WD via Torsen centre differential
Suspension independent, at front by twin wishbones rear multi-link; anti-roll bar, air springs, selectable telescopic dampers f/r
Steering speed-sensitive ZF Servotronic rack and pinion
Brakes vented discs, with servo, ABS, EBA and EBD
Length 15ft 9in (4804mm)
Width 6ft 10¾in (2100mm)
Height 4ft 6¾-7in (1390-1398mm)
Wheelbase 9ft (2745mm)
Weight 5247-5489lb (2385-2495kg)
0-60mph 5-3.7 secs
Top speed 196-205mph
Mpg 10-20
Price new £123,800-182,100 (2010)