Bentley

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If you want an excuse not to buy a Bentley Mulsanne try this. It doesn’t fit in my garage.

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If you want an excuse not to buy the Mulsanne try this. It doesn’t fit in my garage. At 220 inches long you definitely need a palatial parking place to go with your palace home.

However, if you are in the market for a car fit for royalty, the Mulsanne is far more forgiving than it might appear on paper. Admittedly, I’ve had to make a few adjustments to my parking procedures at home but otherwise, it’s a relatively straightforward drive.

Sitting in the driver’s seat for the first time, there’s no baffling array of buttons to master; the seat adjustment is as easy as any other Volkswagen Audi Group car; even the £21k upgraded infotainment system requires very little thought.

While last week I was reaching for the manual of the Outlander PHEV every five minutes, I feel perfectly at home in the Bentley. Explain that one Mr Mitsubishi?

More tomorrow…

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The Day I Downgraded To A Jaguar F-Type

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I don’t suppose that many people get the chance to downgrade to a Jaguar! Well, having spent the first half of the week driving a Bentley Continental around Sweden, I’ve done just that.

Now, I have to say, I have always considered myself more of a F-Type fella than a Bentley bloke. I was nearly seduced by the power and comfort of the Continental but the Jag is a much rawer and inspiring experience.

I love the rasp from the twin tailpipes that you can enhance with the acoustic button on the transmission tunnel – I love the low slung design and the styling cues that remind me of the E-Type.

So as much as I covet my neighbour’s Bentley, I know that I’m a long way from changing my allegiance too.

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Bentley Continental GTC V8 – The £138,000 Alarm Clock

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If you want to wake an entire Cotswold village at 6am then go buy a Bentley. Yes, if only it was that simple… A £138,000 alarm clock is way beyond the reach of most people but I can assure you, there’s no finer way to blow the cobwebs off daybreak.

I’ve just reluctantly handed the keys of the GTC back to the Bentley driver. And no, his job isn’t as great as it sounds because the car is ferried back to company HQ in Crewe on the back of a 13 ton lorry. At least he gets to drive it up the ramp…

Over the last few days I’ve been using the ‘sport’ setting, firmer up the suspension and seeing just what a two ton missile can do with 500+bhp under the bonnet. The GTC is not a sports car to be thrown around country lanes, it’s just too large for that. But for out and out performance, wow!

When you have a budget this large to spend, Ferrari, Porsche and all the rest of the super car marques come in to play. However, if you want something quintessentially British (OK, I know Bentley is now quintessentially German owned too!) the Continental is the only carriage you will ever need. Now, home James and don’t spare the horse…

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Bentley Continental GTC V8 – A Very Large Bottom

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The Continental hasn’t actually changed much design-wise since it was launched 11 years ago. I suppose that when most people think of a Bentley, they drift back in time anyway. Churchill, bulldogs and the thwack of leather on willow, was how one friend described it this weekend.

The V8 engine certainly barks into life when you press the start button on the centre console, there’s acres of leather in the cabin, and the adjustable front seats would even accommodation a portly Churchill. Not so sure he would have approved of air conditioned and heated chairs though, or ones that gently massage the occupant either.

But if we are talking about style, well, the Bentley isn’t everybody’s cup of Earl Grey. It’s squat, muscular and very wide, which gives more than hint of the mighty power plant under that long bonnet. And while it looks more macho than a bodybuilder’s mankini from the front, something has gone strangely awry with the rear.

Awry not wrong but the GTC certainly ain’t a beautiful sight from the back. The ‘flat’ styling looks as if this Bentley has been rammed into a brick wall at speed. And because the hood has to fold into a section directly in front of the boot lid, this is a car with a very large bottom indeed.

 

 

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Bentley Continental V8 GTC – Sounds Like Two Lesbians In A Bucket

 

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The engines powering the Continental were developed by Audi and power some of their fastest cars. The 6.0-litre W12 might sound like a better unit than the 4.0-litre in our GTC but don’t be fooled – this V8 will be more than enough for most people.

It’s certainly more than enough for me. This morning I sent the pheasants scattering from the field by my house, as the Continental roared into life. It has to have the coolest set of twin exhaust pipes fitted to any car.

Not only that, the grumble is low, resonant and almost threatening. As AA Gill once wrote about a TVR, the pipes sound like ‘two lesbians moaning in a bucket’!

It’s a big car but steering the Bentley down a country road is an absolute joy. The GTC is nimble despite the size, like Mike Tyson in a ballet dress. Only much prettier.

You can push the convertible along at a great rate of knots without even realising the speed, despite the car weighing 2300kg, the body doesn’t roll and the brakes stop it on with rapid ease.

It’s all wonderful but oh, the sound of those exhaust pipes…

 

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Bentley Continental V8 Convertible – Just Inhale Deeply…

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Let’s be sensible here. It may be pouring with rain all over England today but if you are a footballer considering a new Bentley convertible for the missus, the low cost option is the latest 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. No, really, if it makes you feel better, the ‘entry level’ GTC at £136,000 is most definitely the model to opt for.

Why? Well, although you can probably afford any car you want anyway, the V8 is far and away the cheapest to buy and run. And if you are planning to take it long distance for a weekend away, the 4.0 model will go considerably further on a single tank of fuel. Supposedly around 500 miles in total, although heavy use of the right foot will blow that figure away.

The GTC also has everything anybody could ever want in a car. All the obvious stuff, like sat nav, heated seats and cruise control of course, plus a few wonderful features to make you giggle. These include air conditioned seats, amazing noise insulation from the folding soft-top, plus a dashboard style to mirror the winged badge of Bentley itself. Brilliant.

Somehow, I have resisted the opportunity to drive the GTC today. Instead, I’ve been savouring the style of a great car, sitting in the driver’s seat  and marvelling at the trim, and just inhaling the aroma of the cabin. Yep, you get all that with the Bentley before you even turn the key. What happens then? Find out tomorrow…

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Saturday – Flawed Beauty

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These aren’t the seats from a Bentley – they’re what you will find in top end versions of the Citroen DS5.

The French are notoriously good at putting fine couture into their luxury cars – remember the Citroen CX, Renault Avantime and Vel Satis – but these seats are exceptionally good to look at.

Unfortunately, they are not quite so good to sit on. Despite electric adjustment on the driver’s side with a massaging facility and heat, I’ve found it exceptionally difficult to find a decent driving position.

And it’s also worth pointing out that although the DS5 can carry five people, the centre bolster in the rear bench seat combined with a lack of rear leg room means the Citroen is really more of a stylish 2+2.

Is this going to be a typical French case of form over function – like the three cars mentioned above – or is the DS5 the real deal? Find out how it drives tomorrow…

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Monday – The Rise Of The SUV

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Jeremy Driving back from the Cotswolds today I had plenty of time to ponder on the Honda CR-V and the rise of the SUV in Britain. The CR-V didn’t arrive here until the late 1990s and it was one of the pioneers of the breed. Since then, everybody has started making them, from Porsche to Mercedes and all manufacturers in-between – even Bentley is planning one for 2015!

Car owners demand so much from their vehicles these days that many people, especially families, want a machine that does everything, space, 4×4, practicality and neat styling included. Not everybody gets it right (have you seen the Skoda Yeti?) but the choice these days is mind boggling.

The CR-V does come with an excellent pedigree and being a Honda, it will also holds its value and be remarkably reliable. Our expensive EX model won’t be the best seller of course, many will opt for a lower spec car but apart from some of the average interior trim quality, the Honda feels every bit as good as a BMW X3, or Audi Q5.

Surprisingly, the exterior styling has grown on me over the last few days. It looks especially good from the rear, with privacy glass and the dark blue metallic paint splashed on our test car. The front is less desirable but perfectly adequate. Overall though, this new 2013 model is a step up from the last version and I look forward to driving it every time I have to reach for the key. A good sign with any car…