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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  My Bentley - 2002 Bentley Continental
  By Big Balla - March 31 - 2:00 am

  Great Car, but only for the financially stable.... Ha! Rides and handles great, awesome acceleration.

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  Not quite worth the cost... - 2002 Bentley Azure
  By Jagwoman - March 9 - 4:22 am

  This car is beautiful, but I have other vehicles that compare quite favorably at a fraction of the price. Buy this car for the status only, not for the performance.

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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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  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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  Great All Around Car - 2006 Bentley Continental Flying Spur
  By mikemgm - March 31 - 6:36 pm

  The windshield cracked and the console display system went out in the first few months I had it. Other then that, its a great all around car. It has excellent power (though there is some turbo lag at the bottom), a smooth ride, it corners very well for a 5,500 lb. car, the AWD is great in the rain, and it is far more of a head turner then a MB or BMW. The interior is luxurious. If money is no option then what the heck, you cant take it with you!

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  Disappointed in Bentley - 2006 Bentley Continental GT
  By Let down by Bentley - March 23 - 9:30 pm

  This is a great car with one major exception. Using the phone, after you dial a primary phone number there is no way to dial an extension while driving. I cant use the car for business calls. The car sits in the garage. If you need to use this car phone to dial an extension after you dial your office, forget it. Make sure to check it out for yourself before purchasing this car. I would like to get a Flying Spur but with the phone the way it is, Im getting a MBZ S600 or S65. Also, if you are tall the seat belt pulls down on your shoulder. Last, the air conditioning is weak. All this being said, this car is a GREAT drive.

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  Its great, but... - 2006 Bentley Continental Flying Spur
  By Treo - February 15 - 11:13 pm

  The cars performance rocks, it is just that now they have the Chrysler 300 with the exact same front grille (am I the only one that notices it?). The garage door opener is a disgrace, since its not standard. The radio and navigation are great, and the comfort is great as well. Its a gas guzzler, alright (how does the 760Li get 22 mpg and S65 AMG 18 mpg?) Even though I love my Bentley a lot and probably would recommend this car, Id recommend a Mercedes-Benz S600 or S65 more.

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  Disappointed - 2007 Bentley Continental GTC
  By Travis - December 31 - 2:53 am

  I just decided to treat myself, and while shopping came across an 07 with 15k miles on it, beautiful car, but the transmission was bothering me by the way it shifted on the test drive. The sales rep swore it was normal, but after driving for the last 33 years, I know what a transmission should feel like. Decided not to get this one, but will continue to look.

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  2006 Bentley Continental GT - 2006 Bentley Continental GT
  By 2andout - August 20 - 8:00 am

  Power, handling, braking is superb. Enough GVW to be classified as a light truck but nimble as a Ferrari in the turns. Quiet yet throaty. This is the best car in class that I have ever owned. Double insulated glass. Everything leather. Check out the interior trim. Hardly a sign of plastic anywhere. I rate this car based on performance, appearance, reliability. I give it 10+ in every category. It has bluetooth yet the iPhone does not work with it. The navigation in the 06 is by cd, not the greatest. Nobodys perfect.