Overview & Reviews

The Bentley brand is to luxury cars what Everest is to mountains. Those with wallets deep enough to meet the six-figure price tags of the company's vehicles are treated to towering levels of refinement and prestige. Bentley coupes and sedans are mostly hand-assembled in Great Britain at the manufacturer's state-of-the-art Crewe factory. This fusion of old-world craftsmanship with new-world technology is what the Bentley marque is all about.

Founded by Walter Owen Bentley, Bentley Motors was born in England in 1919. Two years later, the first model debuted, the rapid "3-litre" Bentley. Larger cars followed, and racing success at Le Mans earned the Bentley motorcars status among British sports car enthusiasts. Financial woes (brought on in part by the Wall Street Crash of 1929) triggered the brand's sale to Rolls-Royce in 1931. The first new Bentley after this event was the "3 1/2-litre," introduced in 1933 and based on a Rolls chassis that never saw production.

In subsequent decades, Bentley slowly slid into anonymity with vehicles that, at times, were little more than rebadged Rolls-Royces. The company's fortunes finally took an upturn in the 1980s. A new company policy dictated a more distinctive brand image, and it yielded the Mulsanne Turbo sedan, named after the famous corner on the Le Mans circuit. Most other Bentley models of this time, however, such as the Continental coupe and convertible, were still Rolls-Royces with different grilles.

The '90s brought more distinctive models into the fold, such as the redesigned Continental coupe, new Azure convertible and the new Arnage sedan, the latter replacing the dated Mulsanne. In 1998 BMW began supplying engines to both the Bentley and Rolls-Royce brands. Later that year this relationship created a conflict when Volkswagen acquired both marques, but the two German automakers reached an agreement that saw VW handing over control of Rolls to BMW in 2003, while keeping Bentley and the Crewe factory.

During the 2000s, that VW ownership allowed Bentley to further expand its model range and improve overall quality. The Continental coupe was again redesigned and quickly became a sales success, spawning a convertible version. Soon a four-door version of the Continental, the Flying Spur, debuted, followed in 2011 by the Mulsanne flagship sedan.

As one would expect, modern Bentley coupes and sedans are powered by a series of surprisingly muscular engines. The most potent models are motivated by a turbocharged 12-cylinder engine that generates more than 600 horsepower, though a new V8 promises similar acceleration but with much better fuel economy. No matter the engine, Bentley's traditional qualities remain, with all models benefiting from a cabin exquisitely finished in a variety of leather and wood trim.

There are high-dollar ultraluxury cruisers, and then there are Bentleys. Whether it's the Arnage sedan or the Brooklands coupe, these cars make an impressive statement and are sumptuous enough to make even the most jaded tycoon purr with delight.

User Reviews:

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  The Bentley - 2006 Bentley Continental GT
  By Ryan Andrews - November 2 - 12:46 am

  This is one fantastic car. Its fast, handles well, has great looks, and has a Bently badge which makes it that much better. I like to drive with the paddle shifters, tap the left one to downshift an the turbos propel you to great speed within seconds an lets you hit very high speeds, which doesnt take very long. Its steering accuracy is superb at all speeds which makes the car feel lighter than it is. It wieghs about 5,200 pounds, but the steering makes it feel like its a mere 2,100 pound Miata. The brakes never fade or give up, I went from around 80 to 0 mph with in a few seconds to avoid rear ending a car in heavy LA traffic, most cars would have squeky, faded brakes, this thing never gives up. I love it!

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  Bentley May Be Best & Finest Ever! - 2001 Bentley Arnage
  By CBMCESF - October 26 - 2:00 am

  The car is a living room with jet enginelike performance with a ride and handling as if on rails. Simply the most elegant automobile currently on the planet and it is all hand built too. The "last" of the truly handmade, one of a kind (each) English motorcars! Amazing and all this for the price of a small, well located summer home. Imagine!

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  Best of All 3! - 2007 Bentley Continental GTC
  By jim - October 1 - 6:50 pm

  Ive owned a GT, Spur and now the GTC and this is the best of all three. Better drive/ride/handling than the GT and Spur - AND, as of 2008 model, theyve eliminated all the kinks/idiosyncs out of the electronics, esp. the phone and nav. system from the earlier models. The GTC is a joy to drive and a head turner. Build quality is better than ever and the sound system, in a word, spectacular. The GTC is, in a word, masterful. Even the Breitling clock is improved!

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  Next Time Around Will Be Ferrari! - 2005 Bentley Continental GT
  By John Telerico - September 11 - 5:00 am

  The interior of the Bentley Continental GT is pretty, but it has no headroom even without a sunroof. This car also has poor overall handling. The engine is strong off the line and above 70 mph. Its braking is no better than a Lincoln Navigators. The Continental GT is just too heavy. If you are over 6 feet tall, forget about comfort. Its quality has not met my expections, especially considering the fact that I had to wait a year for my ordered car to come in. This is a good car, its but far from great. It truly does nothing great.

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  Behind the Times - 2010 Bentley Continental Flying Spur
  By Anonymous - August 16 - 2:00 am

  All in all its a good car, but the car just isnt up to par with the competition. For starters, the technology just does not belong in the 21st century. All the competitors are far more advanced. The rear seat is a big drawback to, as the seat to low to the ground and lacks thigh support. The car has also been in the shop alot, and the repairs take a long time.

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  Als Bent - 2002 Bentley Continental
  By Al Edmond - August 4 - 2:00 am

  Its been the greastest car i have ever owned, i get looks from everyone and the girls just come and run to me when im in it.

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  Bently Continental Flying Spur - 2006 Bentley Continental Flying Spur
  By Texas driver - July 16 - 11:16 am

  I had less than 1,000 miles on this car and it had to be taken in for service twice. The wheels were not balanced properly for the first visit. The air conditioner went out in 100 degree temps on a road trip. It is a lovely car other than those problems, but it makes one wonder what is next. There is a fabulous sound system on the car. But the interior storage space is not large enough. If I put in an XM radio, I would lose my one ashtray. There is nowhere for change if that is gone. It drives beautifully. I cant wait to get out on the open road with this car.

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  Exquisite - 2006 Bentley Continental Flying Spur
  By craig29 - July 4 - 12:30 am

  Im totally excited about this car. Ive had and driven just about everything luxury and they all pale in comparison. The Continental Flying Spur has plenty of room, power and styling. My only complaint is that the bluetooth only works with Nokia phones and my Razer doesnt work on the system.

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  snakes in paradise - 2007 Bentley Continental Flying Spur
  By lovecars11 - June 11 - 4:15 pm

  Fast, smooth, comfy,and commodious, we loved this car until Bentley US refused to correct a speedo off by 7%, failed to correct peeling paint (on a $200,000+ car???!!!), and failed to ethically address additional issues with this vehicle. After 4 years with this car, we wish wed never purchased it. It often throws codes on startup, which will get expensive when the extended warranty expires. Poor warranty service/aftercare is a nightmare on any item. On a vehicle at this price point, it is an outrage. It can be great fun to drive for such a huge sedan, but, without proper, kind, and ethical factory support, its nothing more than atarted up piece of garbage we wish wed never purchased

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  A Quality Ride - 2005 Bentley Continental GT
  By keith - June 8 - 5:50 am

  After a Mercedes-Benz S55, the Bentley has restored my faith in expensive quality cars. The driving experience is all that I expected and the quality of build inside and out is first rate. Its performance is astonishing for such a heavy car but it translates to relatively poor mileage. The stereo is great but sat/nav is fiddly to use and very basic in its features. Servicing has been hassle free with all costs covered under the warranty and the dealership has taken care of any problems. The rear seat accomodation is tight but if I wanted a 4 seater I would have got the sedan! All in all I am very satisfied with the car and it fulfilled all my expectations. I highly recommended it.