2024 Bentley Continental GT Expert Review
Reviewed by Willis Kuelthau
The 2024 Bentley Continental GT does what it has always done: turn heads, make a statement, and whisk you along in a cocoon of luxury. These days, though, it's added an extra trick to its repertoire. In addition to being a gorgeous luxury cruiser, it's excellent to drive. The Continental a remarkably competent and versatile coupe and convertible, and if you can stomach the price tag, it's one of our favorite Bentleys in recent memory.
What's New
- New Speed Edition 12 is a swansong for the W12
- Added trim level just above base
- Updated color and material options
What We Think
The 2024 Bentley Continental GT is one of those cars that makes you wonder how it could possibly justify its price tag—until you drive it.
For starters, the Continental GT has impeccable road manners. Thanks to a platform developed by Porsche, the suspension is balanced and responsive. The steering is perfectly weighted, and the Continental feels like a much smaller car than it is when the road gets windy. Both powertrains offer buckets of torque, but they're as comfortable zipping around town as they are eating up miles on the highway. The convertible is just as special, if a bit less athletic.
Performance is only part of the story. Interior fit and finish is world class, with enough trim options to please even the pickiest of buyers. The exterior is equal parts elegance and aggression. Feature content includes everything we'd expect, with the exception of active safety tech—Bentley still charges extra for features like blind-spot monitoring.
The Continental GT will be out of budget for many shoppers. For those who can afford it, though, it deserves a place on the hyper-luxury short list among the likes of Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, and Ferrari.
Performance and Fuel Economy
The 2024 Continental GT keeps its two-engine lineup—at least for one final year. This is the final chance to buy the venerated W12, which makes 626 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque. When we first tested the engine, our car beat Bentley's estimates and did 0-60 in just 3.3 seconds. Fuel economy is correspondingly low at 12/20 mpg city/highway.
The other option is less powerful but nearly as quick. A 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 is the default on the Continental. With 542 hp and 568 lb-ft, it's good for a claimed 0-60 sprint of 3.9 seconds. When we tested the same powertrain in the larger Bentley Flying Spur sedan, we found that it delivered performance just as impressive as that of the W-12. Efficiency doesn't improve much, as even the thriftiest Continental manages just 14/22 mpg.
Continental GT or Flying Spur?
How to choose between the two remaining cars bearing the flying B?
The obvious difference is practicality—both cars have two rows of seats, but the Flying Spur gets two extra doors. It also has a larger trunk and much more legroom in the rear seat. Despite being the smaller vehicle, the Continental GT is significantly more expensive. On the other hand, the Continental GT is sleeker and faster, and it's the only model offered in a convertible body.
But the truth is that both models are excellent. The current Continental GT and Flying Spur are two of the best Bentleys we've ever driven. In some ways, it's ironic that the brand should finally find its stride just as the industry dives headfirst into a tumultuous transition toward electric power. Bentley has already hinted at an electrified future for its sedan lineup, and if the current generation is anything to go by, we're excited to see what they come up with.
Safety Ratings and Features
Bentley is willing to give drivers the latest active safety tech, but it makes you pay extra for it. Only automatic emergency braking and parking sensors come standard. Lane keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and a night-vision system are bundled away in an options package. Even the IIHS and NHTSA don't have the heart to crash a Bentley, so the Continental GT hasn't received official safety ratings.
Cargo Space and Interior Room
The Continental GT is a two-door touring car with seating for four. In practice, legroom in the rear is limited and best reserved for occasional use or extra storage duty.
Practically speaking, the big decision for buyers is between the coupe and convertible body styles. While the convertible offers unlimited headroom, it cuts down significantly on trunk space. The Continental GT coupe starts with a merely adequate 12.6 cubic feet, and the convertible's roof mechanism drops capacity to just 8.3 cubic feet. Granted, no one buys a convertible for its practicality, but even a Ferrari Roma Spider can fit more in the trunk.
Technology
Every Continental GT comes with a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and navigation. The default setup sees the screen set into the dashboard like usual, but for an extra fee, Bentley will mount it on a rotating panel. That gives drivers the option to spin the screen into the dash and replace it with three analog dials displaying the time, temperature, and a compass. In a screen-heavy market, it's a creative and refreshing touch.
The options list includes a head-up display as well as upgraded sound systems courtesy of Bang & Olufsen and Naim.
Recommended Trim
Although the powertrain decision seems like a big one, the difference between the W12 and V-8 comes down primarily to budget and bragging rights. The W12 does add a few extra performance goodies, but most drivers will be more than satisfied with either choice.
Like most Bentleys, the 2024 Continental GT is aesthetically customizable to an intimidating degree. In addition to the endless color and trim combinations, buyers can opt into Bentley's Mulliner program, which can provide a truly bespoke vehicle—with a corresponding price tag. For those who can afford them, add-ons include real stone veneers and gold switchgear.
Aesthetics aside, we'd stick to the basics. The base Continental gets most of the important luxury necessities except for safety features, which we'd add.
