Compare the2024 Bentley Continental GTVS 2024 Lexus LC

The Continental GT’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The LC doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Continental GT has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The LC doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

An active infrared night vision system optional on the Continental GT helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera and near-infrared lights to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The LC doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the Continental GT and LC have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Continental GT has Reversing Traffic Warning (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The LC’s Rear Cross-Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Continental GT and the LC have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and available lane departure warning systems.

The Continental GT comes with a full 3-year/unlimited-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The LC’s 50,000-mile basic warranty expires sooner.

The Continental GT’s standard 4.0 turbo V8 produces 188 more horsepower (542 vs. 354) and 218 lbs.-ft. more torque (568 vs. 350) than the LC 500h’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid. The Continental GT’s 4.0 turbo V8 produces 71 more horsepower (542 vs. 471) and 170 lbs.-ft. more torque (568 vs. 398) than the LC 500’s standard 5.0 DOHC V8. The Continental GT SPEED’s standard 6.0 turbo 12-cylinder produces 179 more horsepower (650 vs. 471) and 266 lbs.-ft. more torque (664 vs. 398) than the LC 500’s standard 5.0 DOHC V8.

As tested in Car and Driver the Bentley Continental GT turbo V8 is faster than the Lexus LC:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Continental GT’s fuel efficiency. The LC doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Regardless of its engine, the Continental GT’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Lexus only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the LC Hybrid, and doesn’t offer a disable button.

The Continental GT has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the LC’s standard fuel tank (23.8 vs. 21.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Continental GT has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the LC Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (23.8 vs. 22.2 gallons).

The Continental GT offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The LC doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

All wheel drive, available in the Continental GT, provides the best traction for acceleration in wet, dry, and icy conditions. In corners, all wheel drive allows both outside wheels to provide power, balancing the car. This allows for better handling. The Lexus LC is not available with all wheel drive.

The Continental GT’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The LC doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the Continental GT’s brake rotors are larger than those on the LC:

The Continental GT offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The LC doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

The Continental GT stops much shorter than the LC:

For better traction, the Continental GT has larger standard tires than the LC (F:265/40R21 & R:305/35R21 vs. F:245/45R20 & R:275/40R20). The Continental GT’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the LC (F:275/35R22 & R:315/30R22 vs. F:245/45R20 & R:275/40R20).

The Continental GT’s standard 265/40R21 front and 305/35R21 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the LC’s standard 45 series front and 40 series rear tires. The Continental GT’s optional 275/35R22 front and 315/30R22 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the LC’s optional 40 series front and 35 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Continental GT has standard 21-inch wheels. Smaller 20-inch wheels are standard on the LC. The Continental GT’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels optional on the LC.

The Continental GT offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the LC; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Continental GT offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The LC doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The front and rear suspension of the Continental GT uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the LC, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The Continental GT offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Lexus doesn’t offer an active suspension on the LC.

The Continental GT has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Continental GT’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The LC doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Continental GT is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than on the LC.

The Continental GT handles at .99 G’s, while the LC 500h pulls only .88 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Continental GT executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.3 seconds quicker than the LC 500h (23.8 seconds @ .85 average G’s vs. 26.1 seconds @ .69 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Continental GT SPEED’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the LC Active Rear Steering’s (33.8 feet vs. 34.8 feet). The Continental GT’s turning circle is .2 feet tighter than the LC’s (35.2 feet vs. 35.4 feet).

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Continental GT has an electronically controlled liquid-filled main engine mount. A computer-controlled electric current in the liquid changes its viscosity, allowing the mount to dampen the engine completely at all RPMs. The LC uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

The design of the Bentley Continental GT amounts to more than styling. The Continental GT offers aerodynamic coefficients of drag from .29 to .32 Cd (depending on bodystyle and options). That is lower than the LC (.33 to .34). A more efficient exterior helps the Continental GT go faster and keeps the interior quieter. It also helps the Continental GT get better fuel mileage.

The Continental GT has 1.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the LC (87 vs. 85.9). The Continental GTC has 1.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the LC Convertible (77 vs. 75.2).

The Continental GT has 2.9 inches more front headroom, 2.9 inches more front shoulder room, 4.5 inches more rear headroom and 1.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the LC.

The Continental GT Convertible has 3.4 inches more front headroom, 4.6 inches more rear headroom and 4 inches more rear legroom than the LC Convertible.

The Continental GT has a much larger trunk than the LC (12.6 vs. 5.4 cubic feet).

The Continental GTC has a much larger trunk with its top down than the LC Convertible (6 vs. 3.4 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Continental GT’s power trunk can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The LC doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the LC, the Continental GT has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle and climate settings and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

To shield the driver and passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield, the Continental GT offers an available center sun visor to cover the area between the driver and front passenger visors. The LC can’t effectively block glare in the center of its windshield.

When the Continental GT is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The LC’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Continental GT has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the LC.

The Continental GT offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the LC.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Continental GT has standard rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The LC doesn’t offer rear vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Bentley Continental GT has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The LC doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Continental GT’s Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The LC doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Bentley Continental/Flying Spur outsold the Lexus LC by 31% during 2023.