Just Arrived

Bentley Continental GT - FSD 831

Chassis:  SCBCE63W85C030096

Another beautiful summer's day here in Merry Lees.

By which, of course, we mean low cloud, grey skies, and the sort of weather that makes you wonder whether the sun has quietly emigrated.

Fortunately, this 2005 Bentley Continental GT has arrived wearing enough blue to compensate for all of it.

Finished in Silverlake Metallic, it's one of those colours that seems to brighten its surroundings simply by existing. Parked amongst a yard full of black, silver and beige machinery, it stands out immediately. Not loudly, just confidently.

Well, mostly confidently.

The bright red space-saver wheel currently fitted to the front passenger corner does its best to undermine the effect. It looks a little like the car got dressed in a hurry and couldn't find a matching shoe.

This GT came to us as a non-runner, although it briefly disagreed with that description. It managed to start long enough to drive itself onto the trailer before deciding it had made sufficient effort for one day. By the time it arrived here, it had returned to its original position on the matter. Gravity handled the unloading.

Compared to some of the arrivals we've had lately, this one is remarkably tidy. The bodywork presents well, the paint still has plenty of life in it, and it's immediately obvious that somebody cared about the car. Nothing feels neglected. Nothing feels abandoned.

Inside, things get better still.

The cabin is exactly what Bentley intended the Continental GT to be: fast grand tourer on the outside, gentleman's club on the inside. The leather remains in lovely condition, the veneers present well, and perhaps most encouragingly, the various electric seat motors still seem happy to perform their duties. In a modern Bentley, that's always a reassuring sign.

It's easy to forget just how significant the Continental GT was when it arrived. Launched in 2003, it transformed Bentley's fortunes almost overnight, introducing the marque to an entirely new audience. Under the bonnet sits Bentley's twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre W12, producing enough power to push nearly 2.5 tonnes of luxury to speeds that would have seemed deeply unreasonable a decade earlier.

As for this one, we're not entirely sure what happens next.

Normally, a Continental GT arrives here with a fairly predictable future ahead of it. More often than not, they're destined to become donors for other cars.

This one might be different.

Before any decisions are made, it'll undergo further testing and inspection to establish exactly what's gone wrong and whether it's economically sensible to put right. Early signs are encouraging.

In fact, there's a very real possibility that this could become the first modern Bentley Continental GT we've ever offered for sale. We've rehomed plenty of classics over the years, but a GT? That would be a first.

No promises just yet.

But for the first time in a while, we're looking at a modern Bentley and feeling something unfamiliar:

Optimism.