Bentley Continental GT (first generation) buying guide

The coupe came first, launched in 2003 as the first Bentley built under VW ownership. The GTC convertible followed at the end of 2006, badged as a 2007 model and sharing the coupe's drivetrain. Petrolicious says GTCs usually carry a premium over coupes while performing much the same.

The 600bhp GT Speed and GTC Speed arrived in 2007, according to Petrolicious and Classic Trader. Octane Files says the GT Speed was the first Bentley to top 200mph, with the GTC Speed arriving in 2009. The Supersports came in 2009 with 621bhp, no rear seat, carbon fibre trim, a 110kg weight saving and carbon-ceramic brakes. It can also run on E85. A convertible was added in 2010.

Petrolicious and Classic Trader call the Supersports the most desirable of the generation, but say the less compromised Speed models from 2009 may suit grand touring better. Octane Files argues that condition matters more than specification, and that most buyers are best served by a coupe or GTC in good order with the Mulliner pack. That pack added diamond-quilted seats and unique alloys. Limited runs include the 2007 Diamond Series of 400 cars and the 2011 Supersports Convertible ISR of 100.

MDM Technik advises avoiding cars with bodykits, wheels of 20 inches or more, wraps and speed or supersport body conversions. Our pages for each version show what is listed now: coupes, convertibles, Speed coupes and Supersports coupes.

The faults below come from several specialist sources, and none of them says every car suffers from all of them.

Turbo and engine faults

Blue smoke can signal a pending turbo failure. Coil packs fail on occasion, and Petrolicious reports a small number of head-gasket failures, with a damaged or corroded radiator core a contributing factor. The repair is an engine-out job.

Brake and parking brake

The electronic parking brake unit tends to give problems. Carbon-ceramic cars have their own recall history for loose rear rotor screws, and replacement discs cost far more than steel ones.

Electrical gremlins

Corroded switches and damaged wiring cause many electrical faults, and damp footwells point to trouble ahead. Classic & Sports Car says weak batteries often trigger random faults, since there is one for starting and another for everything else. Wet control modules under the scuttle can also cause odd behavior.

Heat-related early faults

Early cars can suffer from vacuum hoses and boost control failing through heat. Classic & Sports Car is the source for this, and it applies to early cars only.

Air suspension struts

Air struts can fail, and replacements need coding and set-up. Listen for knocking over bumps too, which points to worn rubber bushes.

Water pump

Water pumps can fail, and replacing one means taking the front end off. Ask whether it has been done and what the invoice shows.

Tyre-pressure sensors

The sensors have integrated batteries that run flat, so they last about five years according to several sources. Budget to replace them on an older car.

Gearbox electrics

The gearbox itself is sturdy. Problems usually trace to faulty electrical connectors or cheap sensors and control units, so a fault is not automatically a rebuild.

Petrolicious says carbon-ceramic replacement brakes cost far more than steel discs, and steel ones can be pricey too. Classic & Sports Car warns that alloy wheels are expensive to replace, so check them for damage.

Spark plugs are expensive and hard to access, and four-year intervals mean a service bill that lands whatever the mileage. Head-gasket repair needs the engine out, and a water pump needs the front end off, so labor drives both bills. The facts we have give no firm figures for these, so ask a specialist to quote before you buy.

Petrolicious and Classic Trader suggest a high-mileage car with good maintenance can be a better choice than a pampered one that rarely moves. Our price guide shows what the market asks, and the used listings show what is for sale.

Buy a well-maintained coupe or GTC, ideally with the Mulliner pack, and put the money into a car with a full service history over a lower-mileage one that sat. The 2009-on Speed models are the better grand tourer if you want more performance without the Supersports' missing rear seat. Supersports cars are the most desirable but the least practical. Skip bodykits, big wheels and wraps.

Insist on a specialist inspection with diagnostics, proof of plug changes, and recall work done. If you want a later or newer car, compare with the second-generation guide.