Bentley Continental GT: The Car That Modernised an Entire Brand

Before this car arrived, Bentley's future was genuinely uncertain. Afterward, it became the model every subsequent Bentley would be measured against.

Illustration for editorial purposes

The Car That Saved a Brand and Then Defined It

Few single models carry this much weight in a manufacturer's modern history. Reviewers and historians alike keep pointing to this car's original launch as the moment Bentley transformed from a struggling heritage name into a genuinely competitive modern luxury brand.

Generations at a Glance

Why the W12 Has Proven Genuinely Durable

The current generation pairs a twin-turbocharged W12 or V8 engine with all-wheel drive, delivering genuine supercar-adjacent performance wrapped in a body built for effortless long-distance comfort. The VW Group-derived 6.0-litre W12 that's powered every Continental GT since 2003 has proven a mechanically solid unit even in high-mileage examples, and What Car?'s reliability data on the original generation notes it's shown "no signs of giving trouble" even on cars that have covered serious distance — a genuinely reassuring track record for an engine this complex.

Why a Used W12 Costs So Little — and So Much

Here's the part that catches buyers out: first-generation Continental GTs, once priced from £110,025 new, can now be found for a genuine bargain — well under £20,000 for a higher-mileage example. The catch is that Bentley ownership costs don't depreciate at the same rate as the purchase price. Specialists consistently flag extreme labour costs as the real expense: the W12's complex packaging means many repairs require significant disassembly just to gain access, and even routine work needs a Bentley-experienced independent specialist rather than a general mechanic. A known design flaw on early cars involves ECU water damage, and air suspension and electrical systems have aged less gracefully than the engine itself on higher-mileage examples. The car itself is a genuine bargain; keeping it running to Bentley standards is where the real cost lives.

Hand-Finished Craftsmanship, Generation After Generation

Hand-finished interiors combining wood veneers, leather and knurled metal switchgear remain a Bentley hallmark, with attention to detail that draws direct comparison to high-end furniture making as much as automotive engineering. The exterior silhouette has evolved generation over generation while carefully preserving the proportions that made the original so influential — a nameplate that effectively created the modern template for a luxury grand tourer equally credible as a daily driver and a genuine occasion car, a combination since chased by rivals across the entire luxury segment.

How Much Does a Bentley Continental GT Cost Today?

New pricing for the current hybrid generation starts from approximately £200,000, while the outgoing third-generation W12 cars can be found used from around £70,000 for a well-specified, lower-mileage example — genuinely accessible money for a car of this original list price. Early examples of the 2003 original generation have begun attracting genuine collector interest as modern classics precisely because of how affordable they've become, while current-generation cars track closely with new pricing given strong ongoing demand. Whichever generation you're considering, budgeting realistically for specialist maintenance matters more than the purchase price itself.

Watch & Explore

More Bentley Icons

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Sources: evo, Bentley press materials.