The 8 Best Bentley Continentals of the 21st Century

The Continental GT was Bentley’s revolution. Built on Volkswagen’s D1 platform and powered by a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 engine producing 552 horsepower and 479 lb-ft, it delivered supercar performance wrapped in British luxury. The W12’s unique configuration—two VR6 engines joined at a 72-degree angle—provided the compact dimensions necessary for the GT’s proportions while delivering the smooth power delivery expected of a Bentley. Fun fact: VW executives took the first hand-built GT prototype on a test track in 2001, the AWD system failed, causing the car to lose speed dramatically. A test driver in a Lamborghini Gallardo then smashed into the GT, wrecking the unit. 

Take the power, poise, and speed of the GT and chop the top to get the GTC. Removing the roof required a fair amount of engineering to ensure torsional rigidity, including strengthening the door sills, A-pillars, and adding cross-body braces. To accommodate the folding roof system, the crew at Crewe also had to overhaul the rear suspension and lower it. 

Bump the W12’s power up to 600 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of twist, shave 77 pounds off the curb weight, rework the Conti’s suspension a touch, add $30,000 to the sticker, and you get the GT Speed. You also get to sixty 0.3 seconds quicker than the regular model, at 4.3 seconds. A GTC variant of the GT Speed launched in 2009.

The Supersports pushed boundaries even further. The W12’s tune generated 621 horsepower, and additional weight was trimmed through carbon fiber seats and carbon ceramic brakes. The Supersports achieved a blistering top speed of 204 mph and was capable of running on E85 biofuel. One hundred special limited edition Supersports ISRs were sold to commemorate the marque’s world ice speed record-breaking run in Finland. The SS ISR featured 10 extra ponies and three additional colorways. 

Recognizing that not every customer craved W12 firepower, Bentley introduced a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8, developed in partnership with Audi (used in its S8). Producing 500 horsepower while delivering improved fuel economy and a more engaging exhaust note, the V8 also offered slightly better weight distribution, enhancing the driving dynamics of the three-ton GT. The variants can be distinguished at a glance by the colored ‘B’ logo on the wheels: red denotes the V8, while black indicates the W12. A V8 S variant with 521 horses at your disposal was introduced in 2014.

The GT3-R drew inspiration from the Continental GT3 race car that competed in motorsport contests such as Le Mans. Limited to just 300 examples worldwide, the GT3-R featured aggressive aerodynamic bodywork, a stripped-out interior with carbon fiber seats, and a version of the V8 engine producing 572 horsepower. The cost at the time was $339,725—more than $135,000 over a base V8 S, from which the GT3-R was derived.

The third-generation Continental represented a reimagining of Bentley’s grand touring philosophy. Built on the MSB platform shared with the Porsche Panamera, the new Continental featured a more sophisticated chassis, advanced driver assistance systems, and a completely redesigned interior with a rotating center display panel. Power varied across the GT, GTC, GT Speed, and GT Supersports models, given the use of both the V8 and W12 engines. The one to chase? The Supersports, with a prodigious 700-horsepower W12.

The latest Continental GT and GTC models, launched in April 2025, have eliminated the pure internal combustion engine. The mill is now a twin-scroll 4.0-liter V8 assisted by an electric motor, a setup good for 771 horsepower, substantially more than the 6.0-liter W12’s 650hp. (Pour one out for that W12, which ended production in July 2024.) That’s enough to get the GT Speed coupe screaming to 60 in 2.8 seconds—and you get 30 miles of fully electric range. That kind of performance doesn’t come cheap: the base price is $305,250, but with all the options tacked on, expect to pay closer to $390,000.