Bentley Continental GT review

You’d expect a Bentley to be luxurious, and the Continental GT doesn’t disappoint. Just about everything is trimmed with polished wood or soft leather and the quality of the fixtures and fittings is exemplary.

There's a wide range of electric adjustments so drivers of different shapes and sizes can get comfortable. You sit quite high up by coupé standards, but the window line is high too, creating a cocooned feel. The dashboard is styled to echo the wings of the Bentley badge and is reasonably user-friendly, with most functions controlled through a responsive 12.3in touchscreen that has well-ordered menus.

The touchscreen set-up looks impressive, but if you’d prefer a more traditional interior, you might want to tick the 'rotating display' options box. It allows the driver to press a button to choose between the main touchscreen, a set of three analogue gauges (outside air temperature, a compass and a chronometer) and a piece of veneer. The way it rotates through its three positions is very James Bond and adds to the sense of occasion. 

Our test car also had the range-topping 2200w Naim for Bentley premium audio sound system that consists of 18 speakers, two shakers and a 20-channel amplifier. It's eye-wateringly expensive, but it also happens to be one of the best sounding audio systems we’ve ever tested so if you’re an audiophile, it's worth considering. 

In terms of visibility, the steeply angled windscreen pillars are quite restrictive and create sizeable blind-spots at roundabouts and angled junctions. We recommend the City Specification safety pack, which comes with a top-view camera, a pedestrian warning function and a reversing traffic warning system designed to stop you from backing into cars approaching from the side.