• Beautifully built cabin
• Feels slightly outdated
• Fine visibility levels

It won’t take long to get used to the Bentley Continental GT’s charming interior, even though it does feel something of a throwback, particularly with the eyeball air vents and their organ stop controls.

All the controls are more or less where you’d expect to find them, although the starter button on the “wrong” side of the centre console feels like a sop to left-hand drive cars, while the column stalks for the indicators and wipers sit too low down as the gearchange paddles occupy their usual location.

There’s a satisfying weighting to the controls and there’s little evidence of much VW Group parts being redeployed in the Bentley in the way you’ll spot them in the Bentayga. The biggest giveaway is the multimedia system with graphics inferior to those you’d find in a humble Golf.

It’s a tactile interior and you’ll find yourself caressing the furnishings whenever you’re sat idly at traffic lights to enjoy the craftsmanship.

Visibility is fine – and although the windows look relatively narrow, because the Continental GT’s a large car they’re actually quite big. The door-mounted mirrors afford you an excellent view of the road behind, as well as the Bentley’s shapely rear haunches.

• Air suspension is supple
• Luxurious environment up front
• Rear of cabin short on space

Unlike many other cars in this segment, there’s a clear comfort bias in the Bentley Continental GT’s ride and handling set-up, making it a fine car to cover huge distances in short order.

Yes, it’s quick but its ultimate agility is compromised by its weight and the fact Bentley customers typically demand being cosseted. You can increase the firmness of the standard air suspension system but it feels more in keeping with its luxurious intent to keep it in Comfort mode and waft along imperiously.

Front-seat occupants will find there’s enough space to luxuriate in, although you do feel slightly hemmed in by the thickness of the centre console and chunky door panels. The seats themselves are superb and feel even more special in Mulliner Driving Specification guise – here you can have the air-conditioned seat ventilation and electrical heating on at the same time, should you so desire.

Those in the back fare less well. It’s delightfully trimmed back there but it’s short on space, for both heads and legs for anyone much taller than the average child in their early teens. Keep a sense of perspective here, though – adults rarely fit comfortably in the back of any luxury sports coupe.

One touch that gives the coupe something of the feel of its convertible sibling is that you can lower all four side windows, allowing cool outside air to permeate the cabin with little of the turbulence to blow yours or your passengers’ hair around.