Vehicle Description
In the last couple decades, Bentley has been dominating the
ultra-luxury market in a very big way, and cars like this 2006
Continental GT are the reason why. Born from the short-lived VW
Phaeton, it's the ultimate in both performance and luxury. Featured
in a murdered-out matte black wrap stretched tight over its
original livery, it's certainly not subtle, but if you're the kind
of guy who kicks in a door to announce your arrival, this is your
car. And you 'll get there fast with the insanely fast 6.0L
Twin-Turbo W12 engine under the hood, grinning like a fool as you
cycle through the 6-speed floppy-paddle automatic. A low-mileage,
gorgeous exotic with unrivaled speed and style for a fraction of
the original retail price, is this even real?
With just two doors and a close-coupled body, you are nevertheless
struck by its presence-this sucker is big! But there's power in
every curve, from the broad front end filled by those iconic mesh
Bentley grilles to the gracefully bunched rear quarters that look
like a big cat ready to pounce. Professionally wrapped in a matte
black wrap that was applied the right way, this GT Coupe looks a
lot more sinister than it did when it was new. Sure, you'll find
that typical, world-class Bentley paint underneath the wrap should
you ever want to go back-to-stock (it was originally silver), but
we really love this custom, bespoke look. The fit and finish of the
thick, durable vinyl wrap is in great shape, stretched uniformly
with an even application that only the top shops can reach. All the
lights, chrome, and emblems were neatly cut-out, along with the
mirrors and handles, so as far as the naked eye can see, this looks
like a full matte-black paint job. The only betrayals are the
covered-up parking sensors, the unwrapped door jambs, and the 'B'
inside the Bentley winged badges fore and aft was covered to match
to add a little mystery to the curb appeal. And of course, the
bodywork is exemplary, built to the highest of British standards.
Every panel is carefully fitted and if any part doesn't measure up
to their demanding quality standards, it's pulled and replaced
before the car even goes out the door. You'll be surprised by how
easily the big doors open and seal, and how amazingly smooth the
car is overall. For nearly $170K when new, that kind of
extraordinary craftsmanship should be expected. Even so, you aren't
prepared for how nice this car really is in person. Sure, it's had
some miles on the clock and the wrap isn't the same insane quality
as a genuine Bentley finish, but the custom matte look is so
incredibly cool over this luxurious exotic.
That goes double for the interior, which is covered in acres of
Saddle leather and lots of individually mirrored and unbleached
Burr Walnut wood veneer on the dash fascia, door panels, and
console. These ultra-soft premium hides are amazingly comfortable
and the seats underneath are supportive enough for the dramatic
sporting moves this Bentley delivers. There are a few incredibly
small signs of use on the soft stuff (the leather can't be both
that pillowy soft and completely impervious to wear), a mark or two
on the door cards and center console that could be eliminated with
a thorough detail, and the headliner is showing the early stages of
sagging. Other than that, we're talking about a hyper-luxurious
finish that makes anyone that sits inside instantly feel like
royalty. Always meant to be a driver's car, there's a complete
array of instrumentation with big, legible analog dials and lots of
technology that makes life easier without being obtrusive. All the
shiny bits are real metal that's been chrome plated like it was
going on a Pebble Beach show car, and every switch and lever feels
hefty, so the quality is literally tangible in everything you
touch. That beautiful steering wheel is hand-stitched and features
multi-functions at a finger-length reach, there's a Breitling
branded timepiece in the center of the dash, and all that beautiful
Saddle leather on the headliner, center console, and dash is as
high-end as the hand-stitched hides on the seats. The back seats
are just as sporty and fit two people comfortably, and the trunk
was built with cross-country travel in mind, beautifully finished
and very spacious.
You'll delight in the way the 6.0-liter, twin-turbocharged W12
engine seemingly defies the laws of physics. Nothing this big
should be this fast, but with continuous all-wheel-drive and a
quick-witted 6-speed automatic transmission with a manual-shift
facility behind the steering wheel and at the gear lever, this is a
heavyweight that can humiliate anything this side of a ZR1
Corvette, and even then, it's fast enough to keep things
interesting. It hurtles ahead like a cannonball, the power so
smooth that you aren't aware of how fast you're going until you're
well into felony territory, and just then the rear Aerofoil
automatically deploys and practically taunts you to hit the
throttle a little harder. Bentley engineers also managed to endow
it with exemplary road manners and handling that's the equal of its
acceleration thanks to a top-of-the-line air suspension with manual
driver adjustment for ride height and damper settings, and the
power disc brakes are some of the largest ever fitted to a
production car. And thanks to VW engineering behind it, it turns
out that these are some of the most reliable supercars ever built.
Bright chrome 19-inch wheels feature matte-black center caps, and
they all carry massive 275/40/19 Michelin performance rubber that
plant the power.
With great care throughout the years, this well-maintained
Continental GT is available for a fraction of its original price,
and it's wearing a slick new black suit for any occasion. If any
ultra-luxury exotic has ever been considered a screaming bargain,
this is it. Call today!
