Head-to-head: new Porsche 911 vs used Bentley Continental GT

At £95,862 and £89,850 respectively, they’re in the same ballpark cost-wise – what’s £6k between rivals?

We pitched them head-to-head to see if we could decide which we’d give garage space to.

First up, the Bentley. Talk about a grand occasion; just getting behind the wheel of this richly styled sports cruiser feels worthy of fanfare, let along firing up the irresistible-sounding V8, engaging with the eight-speed auto and tackling a series of challenging bends.

The Continental GT’s superlative engineering communicates beautifully whatever the driving conditions, even given our test car’s 22,000 miles.

Its powerplant delivers a huge shove of low-down grunt. And with adaptive air suspension and accurate, light steering, it shrugs off its hefty bulk and laughs in the face of understeer, sticking to its line with sports car agility.

Its ride is everything a grand tourer’s should be, even over the most pitted surfaces.

Into the Porsche Carrera 4 GTS, the best of the road-biased 911s. Now, here’s a car with a split personality – one that astounds again and again. It’s refined and comfortable one minute, and wildly yet precisely exhilarating the next.

Not once does it lose its poise. Next to the cushioned Bentley, its ride admittedly seems harsh, even with standard 20in alloys and optional adaptive dampers. But the 911’s pin-sharp responses make it feel a part of you.

Undoubtedly its handling wins out here. And who can resist that engine’s evocative sound, power and seemingly infinite delivery?

How do the rivals compare for price and running costs? Pretty well, actually. Our official Pre-Owned Bentley comes with an unlimited-mileage, three-year warranty and prestigious perks usually reserved for new-car buyers.

Porsche’s equivalent cover adds Euro roadside assist and Silverstone driving tuition. Both marques offer fixed-price servicing; £95/month for the Conti GT versus the 911’s better-value £1360 for four years.

Taking into account depreciation, the Bentley wins the new vs used price tag war.

Ultimately, there’s no definitive winner here. Such are these two supercars’ differing characters, it absolutely comes down to what you’re looking for.

The better performer? The multi-tasking, accomplished Porsche.

The car that simply makes you feel special? The Bentley.

Tough call; over to you.

Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS (new)

Price today £95,862; Price when new £95,862; Engine 6cyl horizontally opposed, 3800cc, petrol; Power 424bhp at 7500rpm; Torque 325lb ft at 5750rpm; Gearbox 7spd manual; Kerbweight 1545kg; 0-60mph 4.4sec; Top speed 188mph; Economy 28.5mpg; CO2/tax band 233g/km/35%

Bentley Continental GT V8 (2013)

Price today £89,850; Price when new £125,000; Engine V8, 3993cc, twin-turbo, petrol; Power 500bhp at 6000rpm; Torque 487b ft at 1700rpm; Gearbox 8spd automatic; Kerbweight 2295kg; 0-60mph 4.8sec; Top speed 188mph; Economy 26.7mpg; CO2/tax band 246g/km/35%