Bentley Continental for Export from Dubai

Bentley Continental for export from Dubai: a model name that covers several decades of coupes and saloons

Continental is the broadest name in the Bentley catalogue. It has been used for large grand tourers since the early 1950s, and in the modern era it covers the Continental R of the 1990s, the Continental GT that arrived in 2003, the convertible GTC and the Continental-badged Flying Spur saloon. A listing that says only Bentley Continental could be any of them, so the single fact that decides export value is which exact car sits behind the name.

A buyer who types Bentley Continental into a search box should expect cars with different engines, different ages and wildly different values. If you want one for use inside the UAE, the used Bentley Continental page for Dubai covers cars sold for local use. This page is about cars offered for export, and the sections below show how to pin down what you are being offered.

The name alone does not tell you the market either. A Continental from the 1990s is a collector item with a small group of buyers. A Continental GT from the last few years is a current car with a full dealer network behind it. Pick the group you belong to before you start comparing listings.

Reading the generations before you read the price

The Continental R coupe was built from the early 1990s to 2003 and was the first large Bentley with a new body in years. The Continental GT replaced it, and from its launch in 2003 it has run through four generations. The first lasted until about 2011, the second ran to 2018, the third began in 2018, and a fourth with a plug-in hybrid V8 followed in 2024.

Between the first and the last, the car changed from a heavy twelve-cylinder coupe to a hybrid. The shape stayed recognisable, but nearly everything underneath changed. A first-generation car and a fourth-generation car share a family resemblance and little else.

For identification, use the registration year, the VIN and the engine. Compare the front end, the lights and the cabin against Bentley's own photographs for each generation. If the listing gives no year, ask for it, and ask for the body style, since the coupe, convertible and saloon use the same prefix.

I could not verify every Continental-badged variant sold in the Gulf, so any special edition name in a listing should be backed by documents.

Older Continental R and Continental T cars are rarer, and some are now treated as classics in certain markets. A classic status can ease age rules in some places, though not in all. That is a question for the importing authority, and the answer may depend on documents the seller can supply.

A short phone call to a Bentley specialist with the VIN can save hours of guesswork. They can decode the car from its number and tell you which options it left the factory with.

What the Continental badge covers: coupe, convertible and saloon

The Continental GT is a two-door coupe with four seats, and the GTC is the same car with a folding roof. The Flying Spur was a four-door saloon sold under the Continental name for its first years and later became a model in its own right. The Continental R and its relatives are older coupes with their own body.

Engines depend on the version. Early GT cars use a 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12, and a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 arrived in the GT range later. The newest generation moves to a hybrid V8. For older Continental R cars the 6.75-litre V8 is the usual engine. Ask for the engine from the registration card, since the title will not tell you.

These differences matter at the destination too. A customs officer will record the engine capacity, the body type and the year, and a mismatch between your paperwork and the car causes delay. Check that the card states the same body type as the photographs.

A separate point concerns the Flying Spur. Bentley sold it for years as the Continental Flying Spur and later dropped the prefix. If a listing says Continental and shows four doors, it is that saloon, and the buyer should compare it with other saloons, not with the coupes.

Coupe, convertible or saloon: what that means for use and shipping

A coupe is a four-seat grand tourer where the back seats suit children or short trips. A convertible adds a fabric roof that needs checking for seals and mechanism. A saloon has full rear space and a proper boot. Decide first which kind of car you actually want, because they serve different needs.

Weight is a common thread. All of these cars are heavy, and the W12 versions are particularly so. Ask the seller for the dimensions and kerb weight from the paperwork, and pass them to your forwarder so the quote is accurate.

Low ground clearance is another common feature. A Continental sits close to the road, and a steep ramp onto a carrier can scrape the front lip. Ask the forwarder how they load low cars and whether they use special ramps.

Inspect the brakes, the wheels and the tyres. These cars are quick and wear large tyres quickly. Chipped or kerbed wheels and tired discs are common on used examples.

If the car is a convertible, ask for a video of the roof going up and down, and look at the seals. Water leaks and slow motors are the usual complaints on older cars, and a replacement roof is not cheap.

Boot space differs widely across the family. A GT coupe has a usable boot for a couple of suitcases, while the Flying Spur has a full-size one. Take the dimensions from the paperwork rather than guessing from photographs.

What sets the price of a Continental sold for export

The price depends on facts you can check for yourself. The first is the exact car. An older Continental R, a first-generation GT and a recent hybrid are different markets, and the gap between them is wide.

Mileage and service history come next. A full dealer record is worth a lot on a car with complex electronics. Condition follows: paint, leather, wheels and, on a convertible, the roof. Colour and specification matter in the Continental market, and a rare combination attracts attention.

Fourth, engine type and fuel use. A big W12 costs more to run than a V8, and some countries tax engine size. Last come freight, duty and insurance. Ask a customs broker for an estimate before you agree on a price.

It also helps to ask how long the car has been listed. A car that has sat unsold for months may be priced above the market, while a car that has just appeared and priced fairly can disappear within days. A seller can usually say why they are selling and how many people have viewed the car.

Gulf-spec Continentals and cars built for other markets

Continentals sold in the Gulf were built for heat, with strong air conditioning and regional lighting. Many were optioned generously, and buyers often chose bright colours. Cars from Europe or America differ in lights and emissions equipment.

The VIN reveals where the car was originally delivered. A one-owner Gulf car with a dealer record is an easy one to explain at a foreign registry. A car imported from elsewhere needs its previous registration papers to be clear.

Parts for bodywork and trim differ between generations and sometimes between markets. Always quote the VIN when ordering parts. The same goes for electronics: ask which functions work outside the Gulf and whether the navigation covers your area.

A Continental with a full set of original keys, books and tool kit is easier to sell on later. Ask the seller to list what comes with the car, and confirm that both keys work.

Buying a Continental in Dubai for export, step by step

Check the rules at the destination first. Older Continentals may exceed an age limit, and engine size or emissions can trigger duty or refusal. Ask the authority directly, and ask a forwarder who has shipped similar cars.

Next, read through the cars on this page. The site works as a car marketplace that brings buyers and verified UAE sellers together. We add no commission and do not inspect, document, ship or guarantee any vehicle. The seller and you agree on money and conditions.

Ask for the registration card, the VIN, photographs of the engine bay, underside and cabin, and the service record. Establish who cancels the UAE registration and issues the export papers, and obtain it in writing. Consider an independent inspection by a Bentley specialist.

Steering is on the left in every car registered in the UAE. If your country accepts only right-hand-drive cars, a Continental cannot be registered there.

Before paying, ask whether the car is free of finance and fines, whether the VIN matches the card, whether there has been accident damage, which generation and engine it has and whether the service record is complete. Tie any deposit to a written agreement that carries the VIN.

Keep every document you receive in one folder and send a scan to your forwarder at the start. Missing pages are the usual reason shipments stall, and they are far easier to fix while the car is still in Dubai.

Our range of Export Bentley Cars from Dubai offers versatile choices to match every driver’s needs, from everyday comfort to high-performance models. If you want to broaden your options, our complete hub of used cars for sale in Dubai features thousands of vehicles to explore. Looking to upgrade or switch your vehicle? You can also easily sell my car Dubai through OneClickDrive and connect with serious buyers across the UAE.