Item: Used Bentley Continental GTC 2011-2018
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

At this level of opulence, there are few rivals, but the most obvious is the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2016-rolls-royce-dawn-review/n14007">Rolls-Royce Dawn</a>. This breathtakingly large open-top car has an awesome V12 engine under its long bonnet and effortless performance. It offers flawless comfort, enormous refinement and superb interior quality. It’s hugely expensive, even used, and will cost you a small fortune to run. However, the same can be said of the Conti GTC.

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

Work on the GTC is expensive because, for major jobs, the engine has to come out. Luckily, reported problems are few. The ZF transmission is reliable, too. Some problems were reported with the wiring looms causing electrical failures.

Data is difficult to compile on the Conti GTC, despite the car having been around for many years, but on the whole owners report that this car has a good reputation for reliability. The only reported problems lie in the actual cost of the parts, rather than the issue of breaking down. Bentley as a brand has a more mixed reputation, although recent surveys seem to have shown an improvement in this respect.

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Sports

In many ways, modern Bentleys offer the best of both worlds, blending traditional British craftsmanship with modern mechanicals developed with the help of the company’s owner, Volkswagen.

The Bentayga SUV, for example, is closely related to Audi’s brilliantly engineered Q7 (another VW Group car). Yet the Bentayga still feels every inch a Bentley, thanks to its hand-finished interior and the fact that it’s available with Bentley’s outrageous W12 engine.

Other Bentleys you can buy today include the Flying Spur and Mulsanne saloons and the Continental GT coupé.

BENTLEY

CONTINENTAL GTC

The Bentley Continental GTC may not be the best-handling convertible, but it excels in comfort and luxury. The V8 makes the most sense

Used Bentley Continental GTC 2011-2018

You’ll need to be rich to run a Conti GTC. The 4.0 V8 model has a claimed average fuel consumption of 25.9mpg, while the 6.0 W12 claims 19.8mpg in some versions and 17.8mpg in the Supersports model. In real-world driving, expect to see even less than this.

Road tax will be correspondingly high, whether registered before the April 2017 tax changes or not. Insurance groups are all super-high, too.

Servicing is best done at a Bentley specialist and, once again, this won’t be cheap. You can choose a used service plan for your Bentley, with prices starting at £1710 for two services (one major and one minor), payable up front or by direct debit.

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The Bentley Continental GTC may not be the best-handling convertible, but it excels in comfort and luxury. The V8 makes the most sense 


You’ll need at least £65,000 for one of the post-facelift cars. This will buy you one with an average mileage for the year and a full service history (without which we do not recommend buying one), from an independent or franchised dealer. This substantial saving over the new price makes a used Conti GTC look quite tempting. Up the dosh to between £70,000 and £80,000 and you’ll be looking at 2012-2013 cars from Bentley dealers, while £80,000-£100,000 should net you a 2013-2014 car in pristine condition.

These post-2011 GTCs benefit from the option of the 4.0 V8 borrowed from the Volkswagen Group and it’s a great engine that makes far more sense than the 6.0-litre W12. It pulls very hard from low revs and loves to be pushed. It’s not exactly frugal, but next to the W12 it looks like an eco choice. You can also have an extra 20bhp in the V8 S.

There’s no doubt Bentley’s W12 engine makes a statement, but you’ll need incredibly deep pockets to keep it on the road. It’s also a fair bit heavier than the V8, so doesn’t handle as well. It’s the smaller engine for us.

There are varying trim levels available new and used, but the different 20in wheels, more power, lowered suspension, bigger brakes and a sports exhaust all work to make the S model the best version of the Conti GTC to drive, as well as the best-sounding.

Our favourite Bentley Continental GTC 4.0 V8 S

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What we're looking for:<ul><li>Wind-in-the-hair excitement</li> <li>Roof that’s quick and easy to raise and lower</li> <li>Comfortable seating for four adults</li> <li>Sufficient practicality for everyday use</li> <li>Little wind buffeting</li> <li>Quietness, whether the roof is up or down</li> <li>Minimal shaking and shimmying over bumps</li></ul>

Despite the British weather, UK car buyers are among the biggest enthusiasts for wind-in-your-hair motoring, so convertibles have always been surprisingly popular here. It’s best to be able to react to the fickle climate, though, so we’re after a roof that opens (and closes) slickly and quickly and good top-down cruising refinement.

There are precious few bespoke drop-tops these days, so your choice of models is generally limited to soft-top&nbsp;versions of existing models. Mini will sell you a drop-top version of its style-focused hatchback, if you’re after a bit of flair. The Audi A5&nbsp;Cabriolet, meanwhile, brings all of the benefits of the regular A5&nbsp;– refined engines and a beautifully finished interior. Alternatively, the much more expensive Mercedes-Benz S-Class Cabriolet is one of the most luxurious convertibles on sale.

Convertible

Check the expensive-to-repair bodywork for any scuffs picked up in city-centre car parks and also look at the alloy wheels for signs of kerb damage. The Conti GTC is loaded with electrical goodies, so make sure they all work as they should, especially the mechanisms controlling the roof.

In a world of immense change and the need for immediate gratification, it’s nice to know you can still rely on the heavyweight sporting prowess and elegance of a Bentley – as British as a good game of cricket on a summer’s day, even if the firm is not actually under British ownership these days.

Others agree, too. Despite initial reservations about its weight and looks, the Continental GT coupé has proved a massive sales success since its 2003 launch. And it was as predictable as night following day that a convertible version would follow in its footsteps. If what you desire is open-top opulence, look no further than the Continental GTC.

Initially only available with a whopping big 6.0-litre W12 engine, borrowed from parent Volkswagen Group, a 2011 facelift introduced this lighter and rejuvenated model with the option of a 4.0-litre V8 engine. This impressive unit makes the Conti GTC lighter, more agile and more economical while losing little in terms of performance or refinement. Both GTCs offer an unimpeachable ability to waft around town or on motorways in near-silence, whether the hood's up or down, with just a background whoosh from road and wind noise to remind you you’re moving. Despite their girth, both stop and handle reasonably well too.

The luxurious interior offers just about every electrical option you’d want, never mind need. Everything is trimmed in polished wood and soft leather, and the quality of the fixtures and fittings is exemplary. Space is good up front, with electrical seat and wheel adjustment, and two small children will be happy in the rear for short distances.

The Conti GTC is a big and classy convertible that, we think, offers enough to justify its price differential over a number of other wonderful cars that cost far less. Of course, its running costs are huge, but its sense of occasion is nearly unmatched. How does it stack up as a used buy? Read on to find out.

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Used Bentley Continental GTC 2011-2018 review

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Alternatives

What alternatives should I consider to a used Bentley Continental GTC sports?