Every once in a while, I get to experience something that truly makes me pause and reflect on my life. One of those very moments was when I got a phone call confirming that there was a Bentley Continental GTC in my driveway. I knew it was coming, of course, and I’ve had my fair share of press cars. There was just something surreal about this very moment. It’s not just any press car; it’s a $360,000 Bentley. So, before I get too far into this story, I must give a wholehearted thank you to Bentley for entrusting me with their car for a week.
Admittedly, I would not describe myself as a Bentley enthusiast. I respect Bentley, without a doubt. However, Bentley’s typical clientele paints a bit of a posh picture that doesn’t quite align with my tendencies in the automotive world. Save for some hip-hop artists and young millionaires with good taste, Bentley feels like an “old money” type of brand. Having had the privilege of driving one for a week, though, I can now, without doubt, say: “I get it.”
It Does It All, and It Does It Well
As one might expect, the attention to detail is second to none. Even going into the car with the mindset, “This is a Bentley. It costs as much as my house, and it’s the pinnacle of luxury,” I was still blown away by every luxurious aspect. Everything you touch inside has an unbelievably premium feel to it, from the phenomenal plunging air vent controls to the knurled steering wheel stalks and paddle shifters. It doesn’t even have that “new car” smell. It has “new Bentley” smell, and it’s intoxicating and indescribable.
The ride quality is astounding. It’s like driving a cloud. Aside from the perfectly dialed suspension, a big part of the overall ride quality is just how unbelievably quiet the car is from the inside. This is a car with a convertible top, and you could hear a pin drop. Moreover, even with the top down, the ride is quiet enough to have a normal-volume conversation with your passenger. It’s truly impressive.
Every last thing on this car, from the infotainment system to the detail in the head and tail lights, is precisely engineered and thought out. As such, everything is simultaneously over-the-top, luxurious, extremely functional, and intuitive.
Yes, It’s fast.
It’s so fast. So much faster than I anticipated. That’s mostly on me, and to many fans of Bentley, that may seem obvious. I think I was just so lost in the luxurious sauce that I wasn’t quite ready to be pinned into the seat. I was, though. Quite aggressively, in fact.
The 2024 Bentley Continental GTC Azure does not have the iconic W12 engine that Bentley is renowned for. Instead, it uses a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 that pumps 542 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission and to the ground via all four wheels. Simply putting your foot on both the brake and the gas pedal activates launch control, and lifting your foot off the brake propels you from zero to 60 miles per hour in under four seconds. It’s no poster child of track days, but on some windy mountain roads, I found it to be miles more nimble than I ever anticipated.
The acceleration is absolutely invigorating. It gets even better by putting the drive mode in Sport and opening up the exhaust. That takes the Bentley’s output note from a humble rumble to an angry, throaty roar with an unbelievable amount of crackling. Blipping the left paddle introduces an instant and visceral downshift, with the crackling V8 speaking directly to the car enthusiast’s soul. Sure, it’s not bespoke hypercar fast, but it’s pretty dang quick.
The Six-Figure Elephant in the Room
Perhaps I’m a bit enamored by the Bentley Continental GTC simply because of the fact that there’s virtually zero chance I’ll ever be in a position to purchase something of this caliber. Who wouldn’t immediately enjoy getting the chance to experience something so far out of their grasp? I like to think, though, that I’m genuine in my appreciation for this car. If anything brings me back down to earth from this fantasyland, though, it’s discussing the price.
Yes, it’s expensive. Of course it is. It. Is. A. Bentley. As specced, this particular Bentley Continental GTC comes with a tear-jerking price tag of over $360,000. I wasn’t joking when I said it costs as much as the house that I live in. The house that I rent, I feel I should specify. That should give you an idea of how far outside of reality any semblance of ownership could ever be for me.
All of this is to say that, yes, it’s so easy to discredit this thing as not only wildly expensive but also a symbol for the wealthy. A rolling reminder that we are lesser. A grocery getter only to an owner who wants to remind everyone around them that they’re better than all of us.
I don’t see it that way anymore, though. Is it objectively worth the price tag? I don’t really know how to answer that. What I do know, though, is that more than it’s a toy for the rich, the Bentley Continental GTC is a work of art. A case study of how good things can get when money is no object. It’s truly breathtaking.
Photos: Braden Carlson
