[3] The vehicle debuted in 2002 at the Paris Motor Show, followed by Le Mans,[7] the 2003 Goodwood Festival of Speed[8] and the 2003 annual Bentley Drivers Club meeting at Silverstone.

[13] Upon his death, in April 2016, the car was placed on permanent display in the sound stage at his famous Paisley Park complex in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

Other changes include a revised Servotronic power steering for improved feel and feedback, optional fade-resistant carbon ceramic brakes provide improved brake feel (only available on 20-inch wheels), new, more upright front grille and larger lower air intakes give improved airflow to aid engine cooling; chromed headlamp bezels, two new exterior paint colours (Cumbrian Green and Granite), two new leather hide colours (Newmarket Tan and Cumbrian Green), new low-friction dampers, new 'Sport Traction' mode for the Bosch 8.1 ESP system and a Bentley 'B' brake pedal.

The Mulliner Driving Specification includes drilled alloy sport foot-pedals, knurled chrome/hide gear lever, diamond quilted hide to seat facings, doors and rear quarter panels.

It also includes a lowered ride height, uprated spring/damper settings and uprated anti-roll bars for improved agility and body control; unique 9.5Jx20-inch wheels with bespoke Pirelli P-Zero performance tyres, retuned speed-sensitive Servotronic system, solid-mounted front subframe and stiffer rear bushings; 'Dynamic' mode for the Bosch 8.1 ESP system, front grille and lower air intakes in dark-tinted chrome matrix and wider rifled sports exhaust tail pipes.

[25] Changes to the Continental GTC for 2009 include a new more upright front grille, larger lower air intake, chrome headlamp bezels, retuned Servotronic power steering for improved feedback and feel, new optional Follow-to-stop, radar–based Adaptive Cruise Control, optional carbon ceramic brakes with 420 mm front and 356 mm rear discs and eight-piston callipers (only available with 20 – inch wheels), two new exterior colours (Aquamarine, Blue Crystal) and a new interior colour (Aquamarine).

The Mulliner Driving Specification includes a choice of three standard veneers (Burr Walnut, Dark Stained Burr Walnut, Piano Black, drilled alloy sport foot-pedals, gear lever finished in knurled chrome and hide, diamond quilted hide to seat facings, doors and rear quarter panels; embroidered Bentley emblem to seat facings, 20-inch two-piece alloy sports wheels (GTC only) or 20-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels in Dark Tint painted finish (GTC Speed only).

It is equipped with the engine from the Continental GT Speed as well as radiator and lower air intake grilles with a dark tinted matrix, 9.5Jx20-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels, Bentley-bespoke Pirelli PZero tyres, lowered suspension by 10 mm at the front and 15 mm, wider twin-rifled exhaust tail pipes and a new boot-mounted lip spoiler.

The car was unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show,[31] announced by Jay Leno, to be available in autumn 2009 worldwide, followed by FlexFuel-compatible models in North America by summer 2010.

Other changes include revised Continuous Damping Control (CDC),[34] 20-inch lightweight alloy wheels (with increased 25 mm (1.0 in) offset on rear wheels) with 275/35 ZR20 Pirelli Ultra High Performance tyres, advanced Bosch Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) with switchable Dynamic Mode, Carbon fibre-reinforced Silicon Carbide (C/SiC) ceramic disc brakes (claimed to be the largest brakes ever fitted to a production car at the time of production),[35] 110 kilograms (243 lb) weight saving over Continental GT Speed and an automatic retractable spoiler (deploys at 80 km/h (50 mph)).

[63] The Continental GT Speed Convertible includes an ME17 engine management system, self-levelling system set 10 mm lower than the 575 PS Continental GT convertible, Electronic Stability Control with Dynamic Mode, matrix radiator grille and bumper air intakes in dark-tint chrome finish, 21" Speed alloy wheels in silver or an optional dark tint, diamond-quilted hide upholstery, Dark Tint Aluminium 'engine spin' finish (optional fine wood veneers, satin-finish carbon fibre option for fascia and centre console), top speed of 325 km/h (202 mph).

An aerodynamic front splitter, discrete side sills and rear diffuser in Beluga gloss were also fitted as well as a front radiator matrix also finished in Beluga gloss, new exclusive 20-inch wheels with open-spoke design, red-painted brake calipers, optional sports exhaust, optional duo-tone interiors, choice of interior trim in seventeen hide colours, unique contrast centre stripe for the hide-trimmed roof lining matching the colour of the main hide, knurled chrome detailing to the gearshift lever, Piano Black veneers and 'V8 S' on each sill tread plate as well as on both front wings.

Mulliner Drivers Specification was also included as standard and from the 2015 model year the GT Speed came as standard with a body coloured bodykit including front splitter, side skirts and rear diffuser, 21-inch Dark tint Speed design wheels (previously an option), a choice of red or black painted brake calipers and dark tint front & rear lamps.

Inside a new unique Speed colour split was made available and a 'Speed' badge was installed on the passenger side fascia plate in a similar design to those fitted on the front wings.

It also includes a ZF 8-speed automatic with Quickshift, Block Shifting and wheel-mounted paddleshift, carbon ceramic brakes with enhanced cooling, 420 mm (17 in) front and 356 mm (14 in) rear carbon silicon carbide brake discs, 21-inch forged alloy wheels, optional titanium exhaust system, updated version of the torque vectoring system from Continental GT3-R, dynamic system brakes, lowered and stiffened dynamic suspension set-up, front and rear bumper designs incorporating a carbon-fibre splitter and diffuser respectively, new side sill extensions and bonnet vents in carbon-fibre, gloss-black front wing vents, rifled exhaust tailpipe in gloss-black, dark-tint headlamps and tail-lamps, black-finished brightware at front grilles, lights, rear bumper, door handles and window surrounds; optional aerodynamically balanced rear spoiler and front splitter combination for coupe, new Supersports badging, 21-inch forged alloy wheels in black and bright-machined finish, optional side decals optional carbon-fibre engine cover in gloss-finish with Supersports branding, multi-layer hood for convertible, neck warmer for convertible, tri-tone interior option, new diamond-quilted design at seats and door side panels with Alcantara upholstery, a choice of 11 veneers and technical finishes (including chequered Supersports carbon-fibre fascia panels), new Supersports emblem stitching, bespoke Supersports steering wheel and unique gearlever with Alcantara accents.

[90] In January 2019, Bentley announced it would celebrate its 100th birthday with a limited-edition car, likely based on the Continental GT,[91] to debut at the Geneva auto show.

[90][96][87] Compared to previous models, the car features a lighter body (>80 kg (176.4 lb)), an extended wheelbase (135 mm (5.3 in)), a 48-volt roll-control system and a new 6.0-litre W12 TSI engine, as well as a significant interior overhaul including an industry first rotating display.

Featuring high- and low- pressure direct fuel injection, a variable displacement system, stop-start technology and launch mode, the powertrain produces 635 PS (626 hp) and 900 N⋅m (664 lb⋅ft) of torque.

It includes carbon-silicon carbide brakes (420x40mm cross-drilled front and 356x28mm rear), exclusive 9Jx20-inch 14-spoke alloy wheels, choice of 3 additional exclusive body colours (Moroccan Blue (bright blue), Anthracite (grey black) and Meteor (steel blue grey)), unique insignia to exterior, unique treadplates with the text 'Celebrating 60 years of manufacturing in Crewe', choice of upgraded veneers (Dark Stained Burr Walnut or Piano Black (additional veneers available at extra cost)), drilled alloy sport foot pedals, gear lever finished in knurled chrome and hide, diamond quilted hide to seat facings, door and rear quarter panels; embroidered Bentley emblem to seat facings, indented hide headlining and a Mulliner alloy fuel filler cap.

It includes a W12 engine rated at 640 PS (471 kW; 631 bhp), Quickshift six-speed automatic transmission, 420 mm front and 356 mm rear diameter carbon ceramic brake discs with eight-piston front calipers, three body colours (Beluga, Quartzite, Arctica White) with Dark Grey Metallic soft top in three-ply composite construction, 20-inch 10-spoke Supersports wheels in dark tint.

Other changes include torque vectoring for each of the rear wheels, shorter gearing, recalibrated control software, all-new titanium exhaust with 7-kilogram (15 lb) weight saving and retuned acoustics, forged 21-inch alloy wheels in gloss black, Pirelli tyres, sport-focused Electronic Stability Control programme, Carbon Silicon Carbide (CSiC) braking system (420 mm front and 356 mm rear brake discs, 8-piston front calipers in green), two-seat cabin with carbon fibre, Alcantara and leather interior upholstery; bespoke sport seats with additional side support through deeper bolsters upholstered in Beluga black leather and diamond-quilted Alcantara, upholstered steering wheel and gear shifter, centre console and fascia panels in carbon fibre, carbon fibre door casings with diamond-quilted Alcantara inner panels, rear cabin with a carbon fibre surround and upholstered in leather and Alcantara, green hide colour on the seats, instrument panel, door panels, contrast stitching throughout the seats and diamond-quilted areas; GT3-R badging on the centre console, passenger-side fascia panel, sill treadplates; GT3-R stitching at seat headrests in with contrast-green stitching, carbon fibre fixed rear wing and boot lid, bonnet with two vents, Glacier White body colour with gloss carbon fibre contrasts, two-tone green graphics tracing two power lines to the side profile of the car (one leading backwards from the front wheel, the other tracing the shape of the Continental GT's rear haunch), headlamp bezels, matrix grille, window surrounds and bumper strips in gloss black.

The GT Speed Black Edition also includes a high gloss black finish to the exterior brightware (including window openings and lamp bezels), all-black 21-inch five-spoke directional wheels, brake calipers in red or black, contrast colours to the front splitter, side skirts and rear diffuser in four different shades (Hallmark, Beluga, St James' Red, Cyber Yellow), optional door mirrors colour-matching, seats and centre console bordered by contrasting leather in Porpoise, Beluga, Pillar Box Red or Cyber Yellow; contrast stitching at seats and centre console matching diamond quilting of the doors and Mulliner GT Design seats.

It features St Luke's Blue body colour on the rear haunches, doors and boot lid; British Racing Green lower body, Fuchsia pink-coloured radiator shell, black exterior brightware and a black hood, each seat trimmed in a different hide colour (Cumbrian Green, Imperial Blue, Newmarket Tan and Hotspur), steering wheel with a Hotspur outer rim, Newmarket Tan inner rim and Cumbrian Green centre, Imperial Blue stitching; pink leather gear lever, centre console, dashboard and interior door panels veneered in Piano Black; Sir Peter's signature at fascia panel and embroidered on all four seat headrests, unique storage cases with Piano Black veneer outer lining and Continental Yellow and St James Red internal linings, treadplate with text 'No.

It includes a 6.0-litre W12 TSI engine rated 659 PS (485 kW; 650 hp), rear track 20 mm wider than Continental GT, bespoke, 22-inch tri-finish wheels, unique front and rear horizontal lights, model emblem 'hidden' behind the lacquer of sustainable rice husk paint, optional luggage, dark anodised titanium trim on the main controls, metallic dark bronze on Bulls-eye air vents, semi-gloss Khamun leather and natural wool upholstery, Bentley Rotating Display, unique clock face with individual one-of-12 badging, Riverwood wraparound dashboard veneer, wool overmats from Wilton.

[168][169] The Bentley Continental GT3 won the 2020 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour with drivers Jules Gounon, Jordan Pepper and Maxime Soulet.

[170][171] In 2020, Bentley announced plans to retire the Continental GT3 program at the end of the 2021 season, citing the manufacturer's focus on electric vehicles as the reason.

[174] The first Bentley Continental GT for the North American market was sold at the 12th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Fundraiser for $400,000 to Alabama native Joe Blount.

A series of 2012 Bentley Collection items were also produced, including 'The Flying B' range a desk paperweight, letter opener and wine bottle stopper; 'Inspired by Our Heritage' four-piece Espresso coffee cup set featuring original racing scenes from the Brooklands and Le Mans racetracks; jackets, polo shirts and soft shell fleeces, Anthony Holt Silversmiths made-to-order Valet boxes, silver 1:12 replica of the Bentley Blower, Bentley Eyewear Collection sunglasses (in fine wood, Asian water buffalo horn, 18ct white, yellow and rose gold).

Beginning with the 2011 model year, all Bentley Continental range vehicles support the use of petrol and E85 bioethanol fuel types in all markets, including North America.

A modified Bentley Continental GT appeared in Season 4, Episode 2 (A Massive Hunt) of the Amazon Prime Video original series The Grand Tour, and later a cameo reappearance in Clarkson's Farm.