Since its debut in 2003, the Bentley Continental GT has been a defining model in Bentley’s lineup, marking the beginning of a new era after Bentley joined the Volkswagen Group. Unveiled at the renowned Paris Motor Show and later showcased at Le Mans and the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Continental GT received worldwide acclaim for its refined performance and luxury.
It captured Bentley’s vision of a grand tourer—delivering exceptional handling and comfort on long journeys—while also being more accessible than its predecessor, the Continental R. Since then, both the Continental GT and GTC have remained enduring icons in Bentley’s lineup, symbolizing the brand’s commitment to luxury and innovation.
Initially the GT was launched as a couple with the now classic W12 engine which delivered 552hp and 650nm of Torque and was coupled with permanent 4 wheel drive, this meant it go from 0-62 in 4.8 seconds and top speed of 198mph. It was also at this time that the relationship between Bentley and Breitling, with Swiss watchmaker delivering the dashboard clocks.
2005 saw the first model update which was centred around the inclusion of the Mulliner Driving Spec which offered 20 inch 7 spoke wheels, drilled metallic finish pedals and two-tone interiors.
The ‘base’ model 2008 GT now saw a number of refinements including 35kg of weight loss, improved power steering and aluminium parts, new carbon ceramic brakes (optional), revised grill to improve air intake and cooling, plus for the first time “sport mode” for the traction control.
The GT Speed was first high performance variant of the GT based on the same W12 engine and platform but now with uprated suspension, lower ride height and upgraded anti-roll bars to deliver improved handling whilst the engine now delivered 600hp and “dynamic mode” traction control.
The first generation Continental Supersports was launched in 2009 as a limited production run. This saw the W12 engine taken up to 621hp delivering a 0-60 of 3.7 seconds and top speed of 204 mph. It now came with a revised tiptronic gearbox and that was claimed to reduce gear change times by half and allow for double downshifts. The four wheel drive system was now shift 40/60 with a rear wheel bias to enable a more dynamic drive in addition to this car received a host of electronic updates, new 20 inch wheel, carbon ceramic brakes and additional 110kg of weight saving in comparison with the GT Speed.
The 3rd gen GT was unveiled at Frankfurt motorshow, this generation culminates in everything that Bentley have learnt about the platform and customer requirements. Straight out of the gate all models were lighter by at least 80kgs and came with the new 48 volt roll-control system. The W12 engine was now a new 6 litre W12 with TSI technology. The overall design and aesthetic whilst undeniably still a Bentley GT had received a completed overhaul with new moulding techniques allowing for shaper lines and aerodynamics.
The V8 now came with a 542hp twin-turbo V8 and offered an exciting 3.9 second 0-60 and a top end of 198mph, interiors had been updated to include updated satellite navigation and sound systems whilst losing noe of the character of the now classic Bentley GT.
The luxury of the Mulliner specification was back offering a handcrafted bespoke interior for the V8, it was now possible to get the Gt V8 you always wanted without having to opt for the larger W12.
The new generation of GT Speed didn’t disappoint with with a new baseline of 650hp and 0-60 in 3.5 seconds and a top end of 208mph.
2022 saw the addition of of the Azure range which offered comfort over distance and is perfect for long distance driving in the classic definition of what a GT should be. whilst the S range was now more performance focussed and came with sports exhausts as standard.
| Model | Year |
| First Gen GT W12 | 2003-2011 |
| First Gen GT Speed W12 | 2007-2010 |
| First Gen Continental Supersports W12 | 2009-2010 |
| Second Gen GT W12 | 2011-2018 |
| Second Gen GT Speed W12 | 2012-2018 |
| Second Gen GT V8 | 2013-2018 |
| Second Gen GT V8 S | 2014-2018 |
| Second Gen Supersports | 2017-2018 |
| Third Gen GT W12 | 2018-Present |
| Third Gen GT V8 | 2019-Present |
| GT Mulliner V8 & W12 | 2020-Present |
| GT Speed W12 | 2021-Present |
| Azure Range | 2022-Present |
| S Range | 2022-Present |
The first generation of the Bentley Continental GT was released in 2003 at the Paris Motor show.
Currently available is the GT with the standard V8 engine and the W12 powered GT Speed, although the V8 is available in the following specs:
In addition to this you have the Mulliner level of specification where bespoke and luxury performance meet and is available with both the V8 and the W12 engines, in Bentleys own words “Beyond the Luxury Grand Tourer”.
The Bentley Continental GT and GT Speed are both grand tourers, but they have a number of key differences. The Continental GT is the more traditional luxury model, while the GT Speed is a faster and more performance-oriented model.
The most notable difference between the two models is the engine. The Continental GT is powered by a 4.0L twin-turbocharged V8 engine that produces 542 hp and 770NM of torque. The GT Speed, on the other hand, is powered by a 6.0L twin-turbocharged W12 engine that produces 650 hp and 900NM of torque. This gives the GT Speed a significant performance advantage, with a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds (compared to 3.9 seconds for the Continental GT) and a top speed of 208 mph (compared to 198 mph for the Continental GT).
The price can vary depending on age, mileage and the exact spec and model variant, typically you can expect them to range anywhere from £65,000 to £240,000.
