BENTLEY Continental GT Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

Bentley introduced the third generation of the Continental GT in 2018 with two engine choices, but the Speed version came in 2021 with more power and more technologies.

After Volkswagen took-over the Bentley brand, it transformed it into the fastest luxury brand globally and took a different path than its former partner, Rolls-Royce. With the Continental GT range, Bentley conquered the personal luxury coupe market.

The 2021 Continental GT Speed featured similar styling to the rest of the range. The main difference was the black mesh-grille at the front, instead of the silver-metallic one from the regular Continental GT. On the sides, the car featured unique side sills and 22" light-alloy wheels. Last but not least, a discreet "Speed" badge found its place on the front fenders.

Inside, the GT Speed showcased Bentley's expertise in blending luxury materials with race-inspired ones, such as leather, Alcantara, and carbon-fiber. The carmaker created a unique design for the dashboard, and, in front of the passenger, it installed a "Speed" badge, which matched the one from the front fenders.

Apart from the 24 hp increase over the standard Continental GT, the Speed offered more performance-oriented upgrades. The carmaker installed an electronic limited-slip differential, eLSD, for the rear axle that enhanced the traction. With these improvements, the GT Speed got the same 0-100 kph (0-62 mph) time as a Lamborghini Hurracan. For cornering speed, Bentley installed an active suspension system and four-wheel steering.

Bentley introduced the Speed version for its 2018 Continental GT Convertible and packed more performance-oriented technologies than its non-Speed siblings.

The GT Speed Convertible was the Continental family's pinnacle and provided the most comprehensive package of luxury and performance on the market. It was Bentley's way of saying that it produced the fastest four-seat convertible globally.

The 2021 Continental GT Speed Convertible featured similar styling to the rest of the range. The main difference was the black mesh-grille at the front, instead of the silver-metallic one from the regular Continental GT Convertible. On the sides, the car featured unique side sills and 22" light-alloy wheels. Last but not least, a discreet "Speed" badge found its place on the front fenders.

Inside, the GT Speed Convertible showcased Bentley's expertise in blending luxury materials with race-inspired ones, such as leather, Alcantara, and carbon fiber. The carmaker created a unique design for the dashboard, and, in front of the passenger, it installed a "Speed" badge, which matched the one from the front fenders. The driver could have deployed or stowed the Z-fold roof in 19 seconds at the touch of a button.

Apart from the 24 hp increase over the standard Continental GT, the Speed offered more performance-oriented upgrades. The carmaker installed an electronic limited-slip differential, eLSD, for the rear axle that enhanced the traction. Even though it was not considered a sports car, the GT Speed Convertible featured an active suspension and four-wheel steering.

The Bentley Continental GT showed up on the market in 2004 and it had a second generation in 2011. But it took a trained eye to differentiate the two generations unless they were parked next to each other, especially since they had the same platform. The real transformation was in 2018, when a third-generation showed up. And that was the true change. It took Bentley a lot of time to do it, but the final result is stunning.

The car looks like it was designed by an obsessive-compulsive disorder team with the highest attention to detail. Even the inside of the headlights has a special pattern, like a crystal glass for scotch. In the lower part of the front fenders there is a vent to extract the air from the wheel-well. In the rear, the elliptical taillights are big and red and somehow, Bentley made them legal and bright. An interesting fact is that the reverse light is integrated under the bumper. As expected, all the lights use LED technology.

Inside, there was huge attention given to details from the silver knobs and buttons to the diamond-like stitches on the seats. On top of the center console there is an optional Bentley Rotating Display. It features a 12.3-inch touchscreen housed in a three-sided unit, which revolves the veneer to reveal the touchscreen, as well as three elegant analog dials.

The Continental GT is available with a twin-turbo V8 engine. The 4.0-liter unit offeres 550 HP (542 bhp) and 770 Nm (568 lb-ft) of torque.

Bentley launched the third generation of the Continental GT in 2019 and made it available either as a coupe or as a convertible.

After being purchased by Volkswagen, Bentley went through a complete makeover, and the first vehicle produced by the British brand was the 2003 Continental. It showed a clear departure from what it did previously, along with Rolls-Royce. It was still a luxurious vehicle, but it was powerful, fast, and loaded with the latest technologies available. And Bentley continued on that road and, in 2019, unveiled the third generation of the Continental GT in both flavors, with a fixed or a removable roof.

While at first sight, it looked like a facelift due to the similar-looking front fascia as on its predecessor, it wasn't. A closer look at its round headlights revealed a unique pattern inside them. The massive, rectangular grille with rounded edges sported a metallic mesh pattern, and the curved surfaces of the front fenders and hood were elegantly designed to be both aerodynamic and pleasant. On the sides, the automaker installed a pair of vents behind the front wheel arches with a B-letter signature on them. Its A-pillars looked very slim despite their thickness since they also served as a safety arch. The rear quarter panels showed a muscular appearance, while at the back, the designers opted for horizontally-mounted taillights with an elliptical shape.

The Continental GT Convertible was fit for four occupants, with bolstered front seats and a bench seat profiled for two in the back. Thanks to the car's overall length, Bentley was able to completely conceal the folding fabric roof behind the cabin. On top of the center console, there was an optional Bentley Rotating Display. It featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen housed in a three-sided unit, which revolved the veneer to reveal the touchscreen, as well as three elegant analog dials.

The 2019 Continental GT Convertible was available with a twin-turbo V8 engine that offered 550 HP (542 bhp) and 770 Nm (568 lb-ft) of torque.

Sharing is caring. At least this is what they say. But sharing a ride with a super fast car was usually possible with only one friend.

That was no longer the case with the new Bentley’s Continental GT Supersports. The machinery was an extremely fast and luxurious 4-seater. We could also call it a social super car, as it was not designed for track. It didn’t do bad on the track either, but the turns did not offer a racing experience.

The impressive 6.0-liter V12 engine developed 700 hp and 750 pound feet of torque and could rocket from 0 to 100 kph in only 3.5 seconds. Isn’t that amazing for a 2280 kg vehicle? Sure, Bentley worked hard on making in lighter than the previous ones and used carbon ceramic discs and a titanium rear exhaust box designed by Akrapovic.

The engine was mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission that almost reponded instantly while actioning the paddle shifters.

Impressive on the outside, powerful engine, but the interior was breathtaking with carbon accents, Alcantara and manual stitchings. The gauges were classic, simple and very intuitive.

Only 250 units were produced, another reason why „cheap” was never a word to define it.

The car’s price started from $300.000 for the coupe and from $330.000 for the convertible.

Bentley introduced the special edition Supersports for the Continental GT in 2017 for the 2018 model year and built it in just 710 units, from which just 250 have been allocated to the U.S. market.

The British luxury car manufacturer had a very long history of producing exclusive, high-performance vehicles. Its presence at the 24 Hours of LeMans or other races were legitimate reasons to brag about itself. In addition, its vehicles were built mostly for the one behind the wheel rather than for those seated in the back, and the Continental GT was no exception.

For this second generation of the Continental GT, Bentley created a special edition named Supersports to end it before introducing its successor in 2018. It could have just added some trims, stickers, and a higher price and called it a day, but it didn’t want to do that. Instead, it gave the majestic coupe built for long travels a special exterior package, a refined interior, and other technical improvements.

In January 2017, Bentley announced the launch of this new version and released the pictures for it so everybody could see the significant enhancements. At the front, the car sported a new lower bumper with a deeper apron that sported a broad hexagonal grille flanked by two pairs of scoops and an additional carbon fiber splitter underneath it. The hood also had new vents on it that helped cool the mighty W12 engine underneath it.

From its profile, the GT Supersports revealed its unique 21” light-alloy wheels that saved 20 kilos (44 lbs.) from unsprung masses and the redesigned side sills. Finally, at the back, to complete the aggressive look, customers could also order a carbon fiber wing on the trunk and an oval rifled exhaust tailpipe design.

Inside, the car manufacturer offered a luxurious but sporty cabin with an extensive leather package that covered the seats, some parts of the door cards, the ceiling, and the dashboard. In front of the driver, the automaker installed an instrument cluster with the same dials as in the rest of the Continental GT range.

Bentley offered the car with standard sports seats up front, but the rear bench seat was similar to the rest of the Continental GT range, although with specific Supersports upholstery. On the center stack, the touchscreen for the infotainment system controlled not just the sound or the navigation system but also the interior ambiance lighting system.

Under the hood, the powerplant was enhanced compared to the rest of the Continental GT range and gained almost 100 ponies over its sibling, the GT Speed, reaching 700 hp (710 PS) that were sent in all corners via an eight-speed automatic transmission with a rear-biased torque distribution for a better driving feel. It was the most powerful Bentley to that date.

Another refresh for the iconic Bentley Continental GT came by in 2015, making it look and feel sharper and more modern.

For the aesthetic part, the new Continental GT Speed boasted with a wider, bigger lower grille, more pronounced wheel arches, a redesigned trunk lid, new wider rear bumper, a new set of rims as well as different diffuser designs for the V8 S and GT versions. A beautiful green color was also part of the change.

Inside, you’d find a redesigned steering wheel with bigger paddle shifters, new-pattern quilted seats, updated instrument panel, LED illumination, new black gear lever surrounding and hidden storage spaces under the seats for the V8 and V8 S models.

Under the hood, there was a revised W12 engine that offered both more power and a better mileage. The car reached 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.2 seconds.

While already comfortable enough, if drivers wanted to enhance their ride, they could switch through four grades, from Comfort to Sport and vice versa, to suit their mood.

The smart feature of the model consists in the ‘variable displacement’ system. While the 12 cylinders were working all at the same time, providing magnificent power, 6 of them could be shut down for fuel efficiency purposes. Of course, it was not that much of a saving as it was a thirsty car, but it could go up to a saving of 5%.

The 2013 Continental GT 4-seat coupe builds on the success of its iconic predecessor, capturing that GT spirit but with even higher standards of design, engineering, luxury, craftsmanship, dynamic performance, everyday practicality, and refinement.

A beautifully sculptured new body gives the Bentley Continental GT coupe an even crisper, more defined appearance. The contemporary interior offers new levels of cabin design, comfort, and hand-crafted luxury.

As with any Bentley, the Continental GT's cabin features only the finest available materials. From supple leather that covers most surfaces to the rich wood crafted in Bentley's dedicated hand-crafted woodworking shop, the interior is an homage to old-world craftsmanship that truly defines "high class."

In the vintage luxurious, charming cabin, the High-tech convenience contrasts, keeping the Continental GT competitive with its contemporaries. The infotainment touchscreen interface is clear, its operation intuitive and specific for Volkswagen AG engineering, and the instrument panel features a sharp digital display next to refined analog gauges.

The styling is superb. It's classy yet modern. Fit and finish are first-class, as is the attention to detail evident inside and out. How many other manufacturers use double-pane windows? They make the Continental GT almost isolation-chamber quiet inside.

Everything has been done with comfort and style in mind. The subtle nautical accents are a nice and different touch. It's the perfect place for drivers and passengers to spend a long road trip.

The luxury coupe is offered in four versions - GT, GT V8, GT V8 S, and the top model GT Speed, with power deliveries between 507 and 625 hp. The new V8 engine debuts on the 2013 Bentley Continental GT, whipping the W12 in both acceleration and fuel economy.

Performance is according to the car's GT status. With a 0-100 kph (0-62 mph) sprint in under 5 seconds, even for the "smallest” V8 4.0-liter engine and top speeds of 330 kph (202 mph) for the W12 bi-turbo GT Speed, Bentley remained the fastest luxury brand in the world.

We don't think that someone buying a Bentley is concerned about fuel savings, but the V8 version has a cylinder deactivation system for lower fuel consumption. While cruising, the V8 can seamlessly become a V4.

Unfortunately, perfection is a relative definition, even for the best. The Bentley Continental GT has some drawbacks. We must mention the small rear seats and heavy curb weight, making it handle more like a bulky limo than a playful sports car.

With these faults in mind, some competitors are worth consideration. The Aston Martin DB9 handles better, while the Maserati GranTurismo still turns heads with its seductive styling.

The Mercedes-Benz S63 Coupe AMG also merits a look, despite feeling a little less exclusive than a Bentley. At the price of a house, Bentley's exclusivity and high class can not be discussed, being always a choice for those who want a luxurious, exotic, smooth, rewarding, fast, and classy grand tourer.

The second generation of the Continental GT broke covers at the 2010 Paris Motor Show and had the difficult task of living up to its predecessor's success.

While the first generation was the most successful vehicle produced by the British brand in its history, the second iteration of it had to open new chapters and keep the flag up for it. Thus, thanks to its improved design, technology, and drivetrains, its hopes were high.

At first sight, it looked more like a facelifted version of its predecessor. And yet, the automaker insisted that it was a new vehicle. The Continental's GT front fascia still featured similar-looking four headlights but adorned with pearl-like daytime running lights inside the inner headlamps. From its profile, the sloped-down roof line created a powerful image for the big two-door vehicle.

Inside, Bentley boasted a leather-wrapped cabin with bolstered front seats and two seats in the back separated by a center console adorned with wood trims. Furthermore, at the front, on the center stack, the automaker included an 8" touchscreen for the infotainment system with a built-in 30 Gb hard disk and Google Maps.

At the launch, the Continental GT was powered by a twin-turbocharged W12 engine paired with a six-speed automatic. Later, the automaker added three more options: an even more powerful W12 and two V8s. These were paired with an eight-speed automatic.