2004 Bentley Continental GT

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀

• 550hp W12 and four-wheel drive

• Customised interior with starlight headlining and touchscreen CarPlay

• Exterior de-chromed

• Extensive history with recent main dealer full service

𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

With large internal combustion engines firmly on the endangered species list, it’s often tempting to look at the cost of entry into the 12-cylinder club. A swift application of the ‘engine specification’ filter on PH identifies the XJS as an obvious candidate and the A8 with the W12 as a sort-of-sensible option that is modern enough to be regularly usable. But if you’re going to indulge yourself then there’s one option that shares its engine with the A8 and is hard to ignore: the Bentley Continental GT.

The 4-seater 2 door coupe has styling influenced by its distant forebears and combines opulent luxury with the kind of power output that can more than keep up today; four wheel drive allows its application in all weathers. Early examples have proved to be suitably robust and some have covered quite substantial mileages.

This one, however, has been only lightly used with fewer than 40,000 miles on the clock and some tasty upgrades to the interior which, while possibly not for the purists, serve to make it even more special. The current owner has spent over £10,000 during his ownership and, although the exterior has only subtle tweaks, inside it’s been personalised with a number of changes. Mulliner-style seats with embroidered Bentley logos, a perforated leather starlight headlining and a Tesla- style touchscreen tablet providing CarPlay, sat nav and access to the car’s heating and ventilation systems enhance the luxury and modern-day usability of the car.

With a recent MOT and over £4,700 just spent on servicing, it’s been cherished by its current owner. That said, despite the modest up front cost relative to its new price, there are a few items that would benefit from attention, and the purchaser will need to budget for the running costs of such a premium brand. Still, when you’re wafting around in the lap of luxury, it will surely all be worth it.

𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

• Registered new 26 July 2004

• Purchased by the current owner from his friend’s father who bought the car at around 2 years old from a main dealer and had reportedly stored it in a heated garage on a trickle charger

• Recent new battery and trickle charger included

• The car is accompanied by a folder of receipts and old MOT certificates and the original leather document packs

• Stamps in the service book show main dealer services as follows: June 2006 @1,798 miles, Jan 2007 @2,107 miles, Feb 2008 @4,854 miles, Feb 2009 @7,078 miles, Feb 2010 @8,533 miles, Jan 2011 @10,253 miles, Jan 2012 @1,502 miles, Jan 2013 @17,507 miles, Jan 2014 @19,582 miles, Dec 2015 @24,051 miles, Jan 2017 @24,813 miles, Dec 2023 @39,448 miles

• Independent services are supported by invoices as follows: Jan 2018 @25,470 miles, Jan 2019 @25,578 miles, Jan 2020 @26,905 miles, Sep 2022 @28,161 miles

• Just serviced at a cost of over £4,700 at a Bentley main dealer

• The current MOT is valid until 12 December 2024

• V5 present in the owner’s name

• The private plate will be removed prior to sale

• HPI clear

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿

• Swing open the reassuringly hefty door and you’re greeted with the usual level of hand-built Bentley craftsmanship but with a number of personalisations that make this car unique

• Reupholstered in 2021 to Mulliner spec using OE leather, the seats are Saffron leather with Nautic blue diamond stitched inserts and embroidered Bentley logos and, while there is some light wear to the driver’s outer bolster, in general they remain in very good order

• Look up above and the headlining was also retrimmed in matching Saffron and Nautic blue leather with perforations and ‘starlight’ lighting

• The burr walnut elements of the cabin have been painted in Dark Sapphire to match the exterior in order to give a more contemporary feel – a change which might be controversial for some but can be reversed if desired

• The centrepiece of the dashboard is a ‘Tesla-style’ tablet which significantly modernises the infotainment and air conditioning controls

• The tablet provides access to CarPlay, sat nav and a reversing camera

• Matching Nautic blue carpets have original overmats which have been protected by additional mats

• Overall, it looks a very special place to be and a cabin that would provide an incredible ambience in the dark

𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿

• In contrast to the interior, the exterior remains largely standard, though it has been de-chromed, which helps to mimic the sportier appearance of some of the later variants

• Dark Sapphire metallic paint suits the car well and appears to be in very good condition with no significant marks

• The black painted alloys are in generally good condition with light kerbing evident on a couple of them, while the tyres are three quarters fairly new with one likely to need replacement in the coming months

• There are a couple of cosmetic issues which could be addressed by the next owner: at the front, the black grille is showing a few stone chips (were the owner keeping the car, he would probably have had it resprayed) and there is a small stone chip to the front screen but it has not proved a problem for the MOT

• There is also reportedly an intermittent issue with the boot in that, while the remote works, it sometimes won’t open fully when using this method – not that we had a problem when photographing the car

• Inside the boot is very clean and tidy and there’s a space saver wheel under the floor, together with all the tools which look not to have been used

• The car will be supplied with a Bentley-branded car cover

• In summary, although there are a few areas of black that could be restored, in general it’s a fine looking car, the appearance of which does not bely its age

𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹

• 6.0-litre twin turbo W12 engine rated at 550hp

• Under the bonnet, the usual engine shrouds limit how much is revealed but what you can see is that the more compact nature of the W configuration allows the weight of the engine to be tucked back in the chassis

• Six speed automatic gearbox with paddle shift

• Four wheel drive

• As noted on the Dec 2023 invoice, there is an intermittent issue with the high-level brake light which has caused the engine warning light to appear on the dash. This appears to be a common issue and has not been addressed as it’s not an MOT failure

• The owner estimates that some suspension bushes and the front brake pads will need to be renewed in the next 12 months

• Notwithstanding that, following its recent attentions at a Bentley main dealer, it should be good to go in the meantime

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆

An early, low mileage Continental GT with extensive history that has had a number of customisations added to give it a more contemporary appearance, to improve its everyday usability and to add the wow factor in the dark. Inevitably, there will be few items to attend to over time, but what a fabulous way to savour a 12 cylinder motor while you still can.

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located in Clavering, Essex.