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Bentley’s New factory RNS Radio Upgrade for Gen 2 Conti
Folks,
Bentley has a new factory RNS radio update for the “Gen 2” Continental vehicles so it can accommodate Apple’s Car Play. The parts and labor to install is approximately $8K.
Does anyone have any experience on the look and functionality of such a system. Is it worth the money or should I be looking at the Chinese aftermarket for $1.5K?
Since it will not increase the overall value of the vehicle, some may even say depreciates it faster without the original radio, this is merely for the aesthetic and increased functionality with CarPlay.
Eager to hear your thoughts or should I simply upgrade to the Gen 3.
I wouldn't be surprised if that was actually the Chinese unit being fitted with perhaps some custom f/w. As you said, the upgrade isn't likely to add value so unless you plan to keep the car for a very long time you'd have to really like it. If you're thinking about trading up to a Gen 3 I'd put the 8K towards that. I've found all of the Bentley's I've owned on CarGurus.com and there are a LOT of Florida listings!
IMHO, some may prefer it while others might prefer keeping everything original. Either way, the $8K cost wouldn't be recouped. The newest Gen 2 is 8 years old so even if the car was kept another 10 years, that's $800/yr for carplay which will probably be obsolete well before then.
So when being a salesmans would audio or CarPlay in the vehicle (used/new) make it easier to sell?
(Gen 2) (also the first gen after 2005 I believe year could be wrong)
Good Question.
If you asked me that question 2 years ago, I would say that the lack of CarPlay will not break a deal; give me excellent sound quality with lots of bass instead.
However, after driving my daughter’s BMW a few years ago and realizing the convenience of having messages pop up on the screen, being able to respond through voice control, having real-time navigation (not a 2016 map disk), and connection to apps on your phone, it has changed my thinking about this upgrade profoundly. So much so that I may trade my 2016 GTC with 17K miles for a CPO 2020.
The old saying, “You don’t know, what you don’t know,” is valid!
Issues After the Official Infotainment Upgrade on the Continental GT (2012–2017)
Hello everyone,
I had the official infotainment upgrade installed in my Bentley Continental GT (2016). Since then, I have noticed that the image quality of the reverse camera is noticeably worse. Has anyone else experienced similar issues with the camera quality after the upgrade? I would be very interested in hearing about your direct experiences or any possible solutions.
In addition, I have noticed two further issues since the upgrade.
First: When driving at higher speeds (above 180 km/h) and using the radio volume controls, not only does the music volume go up or down, but the vehicle’s ride height adjustment (self-levelling / suspension height control) also gets activated. The display shows the message: “Change not possible.” Even after slowing down again, the problem remains. In other words, when I turn the radio volume up, the car raises itself, and when I turn the volume down, the car lowers itself.
Second: With the 21-inch wheels, the speed setting “Maximum” cannot be selected. This option is available for all other tyre/wheel setups, but not for the 21-inch summer wheels currently fitted to the car. As a result, once I exceed 275 km/h, I get the warning “Too fast for winter tyres”, even though I am not using winter tyres.
If anyone has experienced the same issues or knows of any solutions, I would greatly appreciate your feedback.
Many greetings
marc
Last edited by GT233; Mar 16, 2026 at 06:36 AM.
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