2004 Bentley Continental GT

Finished in Cypress Green with a Portland and Beluga hide cabin, ‘W12 HLT’ is so well equipped the specification sheets in the history file run to four pages. 

It’s had seventeen services in its 29,000-mile life too, and comes with an impressive MoT history; this is not your average Bentley Continental GT…

It spent eleven years on the Isle of Man between 2010 and 2021, at which time the seller bought it. He’s enjoyed his three years with it but is now reluctantly offering it for sale (“I’ve just had it valeted and it’s come up so well I really don’t want to sell it anymore!”) making this a rare opportunity to get your hands on a beautifully maintained example of a world-beating supersaloon. 

As you’d expect to see on such a low-mileage, pampered example the bodywork is excellent. With consistently slim shutlines, ripple-free flanks, great panel alignment, and no damage whatsoever, the bodywork is good enough to satisfy even the most fastidious of purchasers.

It’s the same story with the Cyprus Green paintwork, which is not only a wonderful hue but has been maintained with an unusual degree of care. It’s a great colour that appears to change depending on how the light falls on it too, and might just be our new favourite shade for the model.

The badges, window glazing, windscreen, and light lenses are all excellent too, as is the imposing mesh radiator grille that lends the Continental so much of its elegant and distinguished visage.

The 19-inch, multispoke two-piece alloy wheels are largely free of scuffs, scrapes and other damage. True, there are a few small marks on the rim of the offside front wheel and the spokes of the nearside front plus the start of some alloy corrosion elsewhere but the overall condition is very good, including the centre caps and any refurbishment could be delayed for a good while yet.

They’re fitted with Michelin Pilot tyres on all four corners, with Pilot Sport 3 on the rear axle and Pilot Primacy on the front.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The cabin is trimmed in Portland with Beluga having been used as a secondary colour along the upper edges of the cabin and between the rear seats. It’s a great combination and everything is, as we’re sure you’ve guessed by now, in a very well-preserved state.

The leather is so extensive it even extends to the grab handles, sunvisors, and dashboard and all of it, including the seats, is in a fabulous condition and in need of nothing other than continued love.

The wooden veneer is just as extensive with vast swathes of it sweeping down between the rear seats and forward to the dashboard. There are slabs of it on the rear quarters too, as well the front doors and even the roof console. As you can see, it’s all in an excellent condition. 

The chrome controls add another layer of decadence to the cabin, while the grey carpets and green overmats are gloriously profligate.

Extras include a CD changer and Coming Home controls to open your garage door or gates.

The boot is as well finished and clean as the rest of the interior. It’s home to a space-saver spare wheel and the factory tool kit, both of which look to be unused. Further proof of the Bentley’s careful curation comes in the form of the factory option sticker, which is still in place in the spare wheel well. 

The hazard warning triangle is in the boot lid too, and the lead for the CTEK battery conditioner (which is included in the sale) peers out from behind the trim.

As for flaws, the headlining is starting to sag just a little, so you might like to get that attended to, and the electrically operated, heated and massage-optioned driver’s seat is a little wrinkled. 

Everything else is very good to excellent, and the seller assures us that everything works as it should, including the air-conditioning, which was recharged in June 2021.

As you can see, the six-litre, W12 engine starts promptly and idles and revs as it should. We are told it drives as it should, which means more performance than any sane driver could ever use, all delivered in an eerie silence. 

The engine bay itself is as clean as you’d expect given the pampered life it’s led.

As for the undercarriage, while it might be showing the usual light surface corrosion on some of the suspension components and fasteners, the rest is solid and clean and a credit to its former owners. 

The Bentley’s service and maintenance history is recorded via the stamped service history booklet and paper invoices as follows:

• 03.11.2005 and 2,516 miles – service by Michael Powles Limited
• 26.06.2007 and 7,722 miles – service by Bentley West Country
• 22.10.2009 and 11,798 miles – lubrication service by Roger Collins Car Care
• 20.11.2010 and 16,045 miles – service including fresh brake fluid by Scott Taylor
• 19.10.2011 and 15,136 miles – service by Scott Taylor
• 17.08.2012 and 19,044 miles – service including fresh automatic transmission fluid by Scott Taylor
• 11.10.2013 and 19,629 miles – service including fresh brake fluid by Scott Taylor
• 26.11.2014 and 20,373 miles – service including front anti-roll bar droplink by Scott Taylor
• 04.12.2015 and 20,521 miles – service by Scott Taylor
• 12.01.2016 and 21,895 miles – service by Scott Taylor
• 27.01.2017 and 22,858 miles – service by Scott Taylor
• 15.02.2018 and 23,122 miles – service by Scott Taylor
• 04.06.2019 and 25,385 miles – service by Scott Taylor
• 06.08.2020 and 25,689 miles – service by Scott Taylor
• 24.05.2021 and 25,911 miles – service by Scott Taylor
• 25.06.2022 and 28,010 miles – service by Bentley Leeds
• 06.06.2023 and 29,447 miles – service by FJP Motors, independent Bentley specialists

The Bentley’s MoT certificate, which is valid until October 2024, was gained with no advisories being identified, something it’s done every year in the UK bar one – and that was only for the non-obligatory stop lamp not working. (It still only works intermittently.) 

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the Continental comes with two remote-control key fobs, the book pack and wallet, a copy of Continental GT The Inside Story.

Oh, and the cherished registration number will stay on the car, and an indoor car cover is also included.

You, like us, have probably considered buying a Bentley Continental GT - and why not? The combination of other-worldly luxury alongside a sure-footed chassis and intercontinental ballistic missile performance is a very seductive proposition.

And yet, few of us are brave enough to actually follow through, prudence and cowardice conspiring to steer us towards the mid-market Ford Focus the meek buy because that’s the sensible solution.

But sensible be damned because here is a Bentley Continental GT that appeals to the head AND the heart: It looks magnificent, has an interior to die for, and has an impeccable service history.

And you’ll be gambling less than you imagine because our best guess is that the virtual hammer will fall somewhere between £20,000 and £25,000, which is a ridiculously small sum to pay given the performance and luxury you’ll be able to enjoy.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located with the vendor in Retford, Nottinghamshire. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.