98: Bentley Continental GT – the best Bentley-badged car in years

Renewed for this year, and entirely new under the skin, Bentley’s bruiser is now closely related to the Porsche Panamera and it feels all the better for it.

The Conti GT now feels far lower, sleeker, more compact, and more agile in the corners than ever it did with the original model, which was heavily based on the Volkswagen Phaeton saloon. It’s also, undeniably, the best-looking Continental yet - with a design that’s far better resolved, if still not quite Aston Martin-pretty.

Power comes from the 6.0-litre W12 turbo engine, a massive 630hp of it. We’d describe it as ‘thundering’ if only it weren’t so quiet. Whispering thunder, perhaps? The interior is also much less of a mish-mash of cast-off VW and Audi parts now, and looks all the better for it.

The three-panel rotating dashboard, which switches from blank wood, to the gigantic 12-inch sat-nav screen, or to three analogue dials, is a total delight too. A shame that it’s not roomier in the back seats, and that the ride quality is a touch too firm for comfort, but this is Bentley’s best car in years.