Continental GT signals Bentley's rebirth

Bentley has been reborn. The famed British marque is one often associated with old money and high society, but that was before the Continental GT.

While it still pegs the posh meter as only a car that costs more than $150,000 can, the 5,071-pound

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Automotive publications have praised the GT's power, handling and accoutrements. Some have criticized its heavy weight, but, on the whole, the car hits the mark when it comes to the high-speed cross- country stints for which it was designed.

Price-wise, $150,000 is a steal for a Bentley. At half the price of the aging Continental R it replaced, the new model competes with the likes of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Ferrari and Porsche, as well as fellow English manufacturer Aston-Martin and its sleek DB9.

On Long Island, sales of the GT have been brisk. And though its exterior represents a bold and strong design, it's the mechanical bits that garner most of the attention.