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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  As Good as it Gets - 2005 Bentley Continental GT
  By Jimbo - February 9 - 11:26 pm

  Awesome performance.. Had MBz for 25 yrs. -- build quality of the Bentley is awesome. Dealership experience great. Has some quirks -- what good (anglo/german) product doesnt. Its a different level of ownership experience. Service -- awesome. Have my order in for Convertible -- only way anyone will get Gt out of my hands.

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  Upgraded Volkswagen - 2006 Bentley Continental Flying Spur
  By robert annenbaum - January 6 - 12:06 pm

  I was treated better at the Mercedes and BMW dealerships than I was at the Bently dealer. This car has exhilarating performance but lacks the technology that Mercedes or BMW have. I needed to add satellite radio and I had to buy a special phone to work with the "optional phone system" to integrate with the car system. Bentley you should be ashamed of yourselves nickel and diming your customers like that. It has panache and if that is worth $40,000 more to you than owning the other cars that I described, then buy it.

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  Spur vs. Arange - 2006 Bentley Continental Flying Spur
  By WJR - November 30 - 9:03 am

  I traded in my Arnage T for the Spur and never looked back. The Spur has everything I wanted (except no MP3 hook-up) in an auto. Although the Arnage T turned more heads (who cares) the Spur outdoes it in every way, especially the interior! The Arnage felt like getting into a space capsule (Im 61") and was in the shop a good amount...the Spur on the other hand, not a hiccup! It delivers flawless performance, comfort and design (although the back end is a bit odd to me). I believe to have finally found that love match between man and machine with the Spur.

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  My Dream Car - 2007 Bentley Continental GTC
  By Joseph Connor - November 17 - 10:50 pm

  I just bought my first Bentley (Continental GTC) for myself for Christmas. I have a Ferrari 306 Modenna Spider and this Bentley to my amazement could easily outperform it. If youre looking for extreme style and class while getting the performance of a Ferrari or race car for not too much money (if youre already in this market), this is a win, win, win, win situation. I promise youll be happy and proud you bought this car.

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  continental GT - 2004 Bentley Continental GT
  By dajavoo - November 13 - 10:00 am

  Superb Vehicle, gives a presence of dominance on and off the road!

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  Bentley Continental GT - 2005 Bentley Continental GT
  By Blake - August 29 - 12:16 pm

  Smooth to drive and a LOT of horsepower. Before I bought the GT I test drove the Aston Martin DB9. Theres nothing like a Bentley compared to the DB9.

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  Our Bentley GTC was a LEMON! - 2013 Bentley Continental GTC
  By lee1970 - July 24 - 4:24 am

  Got a brand new 2012 Bentley GTC in April 2012. It was a lemon. Lots of problems. Broke down twice. Terrible car. The car was sold to me with defective tires too. They had to replace them. It was in and out of the shop all the time. The dealer (Bentley Naples) was a nightmare to deal with as well. Filed Florida Lemon Law. Vehicle was bought back by Bentley as a "manufacturer buy-back". Got full refund. Would never buy a Bentley again or recommend this vehicle to anyone. They tried to make me a sign a non-disclosure document to prevent me making this public. I refused. They told me that is common practice. I asked why. They said to protect the brand name.

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  Nice to look at, disappointing to own. - 2005 Bentley Continental GT
  By Ernie - June 28 - 7:20 pm

  This car is a big disappointment. Im a car nut, and the interior is gorgeous. But the car is no fun to drive. Visibility is terrible, drivetrain doesnt harness power smoothly, and dealer experience has been lousy. By comparison, my 2004 Jaguar XJR is a delight to drive and a bargain-- at half the price, its very fast, has MORE features, has never even required dealer service and handles with nimbleness the Bentley cant approach. The Bentley is a stop-light ego builder, no doubt. But it feels like a date with Madonna might feel-- everyone looks at her and envys you, but somehow when youre alone together you realize shes not the woman you want so spend your life with!

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  Best Car Ever! - 2004 Bentley Continental GT
  By Normboat - May 20 - 10:00 am

  The most unbelievable vehicle I have ever driven, much less owned. It makes most other cars toy-like, and shows the marked difference between cars. Blows away others. A true wonder of the combination of engineering and luxury.

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  Car of Cars - 2008 Bentley Continental GT
  By jordegcam - April 15 - 12:16 am

  Traded in my 2006 Maserati Gransport for a 2008 Black Bentley Continental GT Coupe. Wow! The styling is all at once beautiful, sporty, elegant, and eye-catching. While I miss the throaty roar of the Massy, the elegance and power of this Black Beauty is enthralling. The creature comforts, the interior, the modern features are beyond compare. This has to be the worlds best car. The Bluetooth feature apparently has been improved, my iPhone works well with it seamlessly. The drive is comfortable, yet very powerful. With a 0 to 60 of 4.6 seconds and 552 horsepower, this is a far better buy than a Ferrari Scaglietti, in my opinion. No regrets so far after 5 days!