Bentley Continental GT.

GT cars have been around for decades – and with good reason. They take the power and glamour of a sports car, and add more space for people and luggage – not to mention an altogether easier getting-in-and-out experience. You tend to grow into a GT, both literally and figuratively.

Given the appeal, it’s no surprise that virtually every car manufacturer capable of building something desirable makes something you could call a GT. Today, however, there is one car that arguably stands at the top of this nebulous category.

The Bentley Continental GT was born more than two decades ago, the first offspring of a revitalised Bentley Motors, following its purchase by VW Group. Combining the best of German engineering nous with Bentley’s peculiarly British approach to extreme luxury, the car was a hit.

Twenty-one years on, the Continental GT remains Bentley’s icon. They probably sell a lot more of their Bentayga SUVs, but then, Porsche sell a lot more Cayennes than 911s. It’s the way of today’s SUV-dominated world. The fact remains that this particular GT takes the GT concept to its logical conclusion: ludicrous levels of power coupled with ludicrously luxurious craftsmanship. The best of both worlds, for the lucky few who can afford it. And at this stage in its story, it’s fair to say that the Bentley Continental GT has stood the test of time.