BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT

When Volkswagen took control of Bentley in 1998, it inherited the then new Arnage four-door saloon, as well as the two-door Continental R – a model that still used the old ‘SZ’ platform, which dated back to the days of the Silver Shadow and T-series. What was needed was a new hi-tech model for the 21st century, a car that could show the world that Bentley was back… with a bang.

This arrived in 2003 via the Continental GT, a rakish coupe that cleverly combined the latest in VW Group technology with styling that was modern but with traditional Bentley overtones. The new GT had sharper dynamics than any previous Bentley, and was a more driver-focused car than ever before. With its 6.0-litre W12 engine producing 552bhp, the Continental could sprint to 60mph in just 4.8 seconds before going on to a top speed of 198mph, while its clever air suspension (with continuously-adjusting dampers) and four-wheel drive meant there was handling and grip to match. At around the £110,000 mark, the Continental GT even offered good value compared with Bentley coupes