Bentley Continental Convertible
New from £238,955
Is the Bentley Continental Convertible a good car?
Read our expert review
Words by: Erin Baker
"New front and rear lights for this masterclass in British luxury grand touring gives the Bentley Continental GT a strikingly different look, but it’s the switch from a gas guzzling 12-cylinder petrol engine to a V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain that is the real game changer."
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Running costs for a Bentley Continental
Prices are high, as they should be for a Bentley. What’s the point in having one if everyone can afford it? But the world shows no sign of spending less on its luxury cars, indeed, if anything the money being spent on bespoke craftsmanship is higher than ever. Also, this Hybrid wears a Speed badge, normally reserved with the higher trim level, so perhaps there’s an entry-level petrol V8 coming. There’s certainly an all-electric model in the pipeline for 2026. However, unlike most supercars, the Continental GT offers some value for money, with four seats, four-wheel drive and a convertible option. And now, for the first time, real electric motoring, in the form of a plug-in hybrid with up to 50 miles of range, which means for those doing mainly local trips, electric-only driving all week is eminently possible, and very cheap. It also means Bentley can quote a low CO2 output, allowing for lower VED/road tax and potential company car savings.
Reliability of a Bentley Continental
Bentley looks after its customers, and being part of the wider VW group means it shares tried and tested technology like switchgear and infotainment systems with big brands like Audi. The air-con system and electric systems are new however, so we shall see. A warning, too, that the costs of parts are eye-watering and even rich people don’t like feeling ripped off.
Safety for a Bentley Continental
Four-wheel drive and the addition of four-wheel steering give drivers much peace of mind. There’s an awful lot of power going through the car, with a weight bias towards the rear wheels, so caution is still advised. Also, with the roof up you get the usual thick, rear-quarter blind spot over your shoulder when merging at junctions or overtaking on the motorway. Naturally Bentley offers Audi’s menu of safety systems and, like in an Audi, the first thing you’ll be doing every time you start the car is turning off the awful lane-departure warning system, which otherwise spends its whole time dragging you away from an imaginary centre line it thinks you’re about to stray over.
How comfortable is the Bentley Continental
GT stands for “grand tourer” and Bentley offers - we’re gonna say it - the best luxury grand touring experience you’ll find. The levels of refinement are exemplary, from the lack of road- and wind-noise, to the absence of disturbance from the ride, which is ultra-smooth. All of which is made even more special in electric mode, when a sultry silence wraps itself round the car like a cashmere blanket. You get lots of leg room in the front, and we even squeezed two teenagers in the back for a half-hour journey. The boot was already small, though, and this is now even worse due to the intrusion of the hybrid battery pack. If you keep the pointless wind deflector in there too, and the charging lead, you’ll struggle to squeeze a handbag in. But it feels naive to complain about boot space in something so beautiful and extraordinary in every other way.
Features of the Bentley Continental
Supercar brands have, traditionally, relied on the sheer power, handling and rarity to sell their cars, with little thought for entertainment systems, sat-navs, music systems and more. But that doesn’t wash with customers any more, and with the advent of less charismatic electric powertrains, drivers will be looking for thrills elsewhere and with the tech and toys. With that in mind, it doesn’t feel that Bentley is up to speed, so to speak, which is disappointing. Maybe it’s saving its best for the pure electric version. So, in this Conti, you get the ageing Audi screen displays and graphics where everything is black, orange and white and nothing is beautiful or special. Other than the rotating dash, carried over from previous models, which spins between a blank fascia, three analogue dials and digital screen. You get prettier, more special graphics in a Peugeot these days.
Power for a Bentley Continental
Magnificent. Electric driving suits luxury cars more than any other given the serenity of the uninterrupted power delivery, coupled with its silence, enhances the tranquility inside the car. And for those who still love the boom of Bentley when the V8 motor does kick in it does so with a glorious tone. It’s also… fast. You get that shove of torque off the start line from the battery, plus the engine’s power, which together give you 771 horsepower to play with. That’s enough for anyone on public roads. And despite the four-wheel drive and SUV-like 2.4-tonne weight the car dances about on the road like something half its size, and pirouettes its way to 62mph in 3.2 seconds. A tree hugger this car is not. But, should you charge by night at home and trundle round by day on electric power around town, you will at least be on the right track.
Lease deals
These deals are based on terms of 8,000 miles, for a 36 month lease with a 6 months initial payment.
Standard equipment
Expect the following equipment on your Bentley Continental Convertible. This may vary between trim levels.
- 12V Power Socket in Boot
- 4G LTE Telephone Module
- 60 GB Solid-State Drive - 10GB Available User Space
- Bentley Rotating Display
- Bentley Signature Audio
- Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Audio Streaming
- Connected Car Services
- Emergency Assist
- Front Screen Infotainment System with 12.3in High Resolution Capacitive Touchscreen Display
- Navigation - Featuring Text-To-Speak - Voice Destination Entry and 3D Building Display
- Wireless Android Auto
- Wireless Apple CarPlay
- 21in Alloy Wheels - Ten Twin Spoke - Painted
- 21in Summer Tyres with Pirelli Noise Cancellation System
- Acoustic Heat-Insulating Front Screen
- Acoustic Side Glass with IR Barrier
- Automatic Folding Four Layer Insulated Fabric Roof - Black
- Bentley B Badges to Wheel Centres
- Black Lower Bumper Grille
- Black Matrix Grille with Chrome Surround and Centre Bar
- Body Coloured Door Mirror Caps
- Chrome BENTLEY Lettering on the Boot
- Chrome Bentley Wing Badges to Bonnet and Boot
- Chrome Exterior Brightware
- Chrome Slashed Oval Exhaust Finishers
- Electrically Adjustable Door Mirrors with Heating - Power Fold - Auto-Dimming - Memory and Dip On Reverse Functions
- Exterior Mirror Housings - Body Coloured
- Front Vented 420 x 40 mm Disc Brakes with Bentley Branded Black Brake Callipers
- Gloss Black Front Splitter
- Heated Rear Screen
- Illuminated BENTLEY Sill and Stainless Steel Treadplates with HANDCRAFTED IN CREWE - ENGLAND
- Rear Vented 380 x 30 mm Disc Brakes with Black Brake Callipers
- Standard Brakes with Black Calipers
- Tyre Inflation Kit
- 3D Surround View
- Adaptive Cruise Assist
- Bentley Analogue Clock with Plain Bezel
- Blind Spot Warning
- Brake Pad Wear Indicator
- Drive Dynamics Control
- Driver Assist Environmental Display
- Front and Rear Park Distance Control
- Intelligent Park Assist
- Lane Assist
- Reversing Camera with Graphic Screen Representation
- TPMS - Electronic Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
- ABS - Anti Lock Braking System
- Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System - AVAS
- Adaptive Brake Lights
- Alarm and Immobiliser
- Bentley GPS Tracking System
- Bentley Safeguard Plus
- Bentley Safeguard Rear
- Black Seat Belt Buckles
- Child Seat Anchor for Child Seat System ISOFIX in the Rear
- City Assist
- Drag Torque Control - MSR
- Driver and Front Passenger Airbag with Front Passenger Airbag Deactivation
- EBD - Electronic Brake Force Distribution
- Electronic Parking Brake with Drive Away Assist
- Electronic Stability Control - ESC with Traction Control - TCS
- Exit Warning
- Extended and Crash-Active Pedestrian Protection
- HBA - Hydraulic Brake Assistance
- Keyless Entry and Ignition
- Manoeuvre Assist
- Multi-Collision Brake
- Pedestrian Warning
- Power Latches to the Doors and Boot
- Reverse Traffic Warning
- Side Airbags
- Torque Vectoring by Electronic Differential - eLSD
- Active All Wheel Drive
- Bentley Active Chassis with Comfort Steering and Comfort Damper Calibration
- Bentley Dynamic Ride System
- Dynamic Ride-Height Control -Auto Adjust at Speed and Ground Clearance Function
- Eight Speed Dual Clutch Transmission
- Electronic All Wheel Steering
- Swerve Assist
- Turn Assist
- Two Chamber - Two Valve Air Suspension - with Continuous Damping Control - CDC
- Advanced Air Filtration and Display with Particle Matter Sensor
- Air Ionisers
- Auto-Dimming Rear View Mirror
- Boot Carpet in Beluga
- Boot Lid Down Lighters
- City Specification
- Deep Pile Cabin Carpets
- Diamond Knurling to Rotary Switches and Column Stalks
- Electric Tilt and Reach Adjustment Steering Column with Memory and Easy Entry Functions
- Footwell Illumination and Ambient Lighting
- Four Occupant Seating Positions
- Front Seats - Electric 12-Way Adjustment with Heating and Two Memory Functions
- Hands Free Boot
- Hidden Antenna
- Hide Trimmed - Straight Fluted Style Seat Design
- Interior Roof Colour - Beluga
- Key Box - Matched to Colour Split
- Leather-Trimmed Gear Lever
- Lockable Glove Box
- Metal Bulls-Eye Vents with Organ Stops
- Monotone Interior Colour Combination
- Multi-zone Automatic Climate Control System
- Rain Sensing Windscreen Wipers
- Single Front Armrest - Fore-Aft Slide - with Stowage Inc. Wireless Phone Charging - 12V Sockets and Two USB-C Charging Points
- Standard Carpet Overmats to Front
- Standard Foot Pedals
- Steering Wheel - 3 Spoke Single Tone Hide Trimmed - Heated
- Steering Wheel Mounted Gearshift Paddles
- Stowage to Front Doors - Centre Console and Under Centre Armrest
- Sun Visors with Illuminated Vanity Mirrors
- Touring Specification
- Two Cup Holders to the Front Centre Console
- Two Rear Seats with Centre Stowage inc 12V Socket and Two USB-C Charging Points
- Veneer - Single Finish - Crown Cut Walnut
- Full LED Matrix Headlamps with High-Beam Assist and Welcome and Coming Home Animation
- Full LED Tail Lamps with Red Lens and WELLNESS Welcome and Coming Home Animation
Other vehicles in the Continental family
Continental Coupe
Sleek, stylish and powerful looks
Incredibly comfortable and luxurious
Subversion of hybrid power its own ends
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Your questions answered
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