Few cars have as much prestige as a Bentley. While prices are coming down, it’s still a car to impress people and thanks to the hand-crafted interior, it oozes class. If you want the ultimate in luxury touring, this is it.

The W12 may take all the headlines and indeed, the GT Speed model is immense, but for everyday usability, the V8 sounds nicer, is just as quick as the standard W12 and costs less to run. 

There are lots of pretenders to the Continental GT’s crown. The Mercedes S-Class Coupe is a luxurious tour de force that's technically better than the Bentley, but can't match its luxurious feel. Neither can the Aston Martin DB11, but it should be your choice if you're looking for a more engaging take on the GT car recipe.

Inside the cabin, the handcrafted interior is as luxurious as any production car gets. There are the traditional features, like metal pull switches for the vents along with acres of wood and leather. It’s all put together in a way which makes it feel more special than a Mercedes-Benz or even an Aston Martin.

If there’s one area where the Bentley Continental GT isn’t as hot, it’s in terms of infotainment. It uses a Volkswagen-sourced system but it was already dated when this Continental GT was launched in 2010. 

While it’s a coupe, the Bentley is nonetheless a big car. So it’s actually usefully practical with a big boot and room for two passengers in the back so long as they're not tall, although anyone back there will feel a little hemmed in.

The V8 is the best model in the range and the S is the one to go for. It tunes the same 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 up to 528PS – up from 507PS – meaning there is 20Nm more torque available, reducing the car's 0-62mph time three tenths to 4.5 seconds.

All of these may seem like a good deal of fuss for what seems like incremental improvements but it all adds up to a Continental that is noticeably more energetic and exciting than the  standard V8 model. This is particularly apparent when the car is switched into the Sport setting. Throttle response is enhanced and the eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox shifts more quickly yet hangs on to the gears – and the splendid exhaust noise – for that little bit longer. 

Refinement is incredible and it's often easy to think you're cruising gently along only to find that you are in fact approaching three figures on the speedo. This is what makes the GT a unique car – it's most definitely a grand tourer but with supercar levels of performance and speed. And it manages it all with amazing stability and surefootedness.

The Continental GT was never crash tested by Euro NCAP - no Bentley has. But given that it shares much with Volkswagen Group models and weighs the best part of two tonnes, it’s fairly accurate to say it’s a safe car.

Did you expect anything less? Yes, there’s no surprise that all models sit in the top group 50 for insurance. 

The majority of Continental GT models fall under the old VED system and unsurprisingly all are in the highest band for tax. Who would have guessed that. It means annual road tax of close to £600.

Models registered after April 2017 drop to a flat rate of £150 a year, so newer cars are worth seeking out. Just be aware that all Continental GT models have a list price of more than £40,000 so will incur the extra £325 a year showroom tax for five years from the second time it’s taxed.

There are no real trim levels as such. Every Bentley is unique to its first owner who is able to personalise it as they wish. This does mean that when you’re buying used, you may have to put up with someone else’s tastes.

There are however some visual differences, albeit subtle. V8S models get open-spoke 20-inch wheels,  a unique front splitter, side sills and a rear diffuser in Beluga piano black plus shiny figure of eight exhaust pipes.