Author: Jack Evans

It’s hard to ignore the meteoric rise of the SUV. Step into any new car dealership, and you’ll find a forecourt awash with high-riding vehicles of all shapes and sizes. There’s a reason for that – people simply can’t get enough of them.

But is there another way? Is there, perhaps, a type of car which can do everything that an SUV can do, but better? We think the humble estate car is just such a vehicle – and here are five reasons why.

Driver involvement

Yes, an SUV may deliver the high-riding, king-of-the-road driving position that many people love, but they simply can’t offer the same level of driver involvement that you’ll get from an estate car.

Find your favourite twisty b-road, and it’s highly likely that you’ll have more fun on it driving an estate rather than a four-wheel-drive.

Space

Many SUVs give drivers the option of seven seats, and though on the odd occasion an estate car has also been able to seat seven, we’ll admit that they aren’t best suited to this use. However, where an estate can usually match an SUV is load area.

Because of the way they’re packaged, it’s likely that an estate will offer more than enough boot space for most occasions and, should you need more, almost all have the option to fold the rear seats flat.

Looks

We’ll admit that the imposing looks of an SUV can be appealing at times, but there’s something to be said about the way an estate car is designed – particularly when it’s hiding more performance than you’d expect.

Of course, thoughts about a car’s appearance are down to the individual, but we’d always argue that there’s something pretty cool about the way an estate looks.

Efficiency

It’s true that SUVs are becoming more efficient and that, for the most part, the time of big, thirsty four-wheel-drives is behind us. Off the bat they’re more efficient, with a lower profile and therefore a better drag coefficient.

Plus, because they’re lugging around less weight, estate cars will often use up less fuel than an equivalent SUV There are exceptions, of course, with powerful petrol estates still able to chew through fuel as well as their off-road rivals.

Variety

They say that variety is the spice of life and, when it comes to estates, that’s certainly the case. Though nearly every manufacturer does an SUVs these days, they also tend to offer an estate – so there’s plenty to choose from.

They’re not all huge, load-lugging leviathans too. There are plenty of compact estates on the market for those who want a little more practicality but without a huge increase in size.

When you’re buying a new car it can be tempting to go to town with the optional extras list. Tick a box here, tick another there and though your car may be loaded with kit, there may only be a handful there which genuinely add value to the vehicle.

So we’ve picked out some of the key things you should – and probably shouldn’t – do when you’re speccing a new car.

Want the best ride? Steer clear of larger wheels

Though it can be tempting to add large alloy wheels when speccing a new car, we’d advise against it if you want the best possible ride. Large wheels can add a crashiness to the way a car rides, so if you’re after a more comfortable drive then go for smaller alloys.

Plus, it’ll save money when it comes to replacing the tyres.

Travelling with kids? Cream seats may not be best

It’s true that cream seats help to brighten an interior up, and do give the cabin a classy appearance. However if you’re travelling with kids, cream seats may not be the best idea as they tend to show up stains and spillages.

We’d opt for a darker colour – either dark brown or black – if you want to keep the interior looking spic and span.

Don’t go for the panoramic sunroof if you – or your passengers – are tall

A panoramic sunroof can be a great way of letting more light into a car’s cabin, and it can be a welcome addition on hotter days where you’d like some wind in your hair. However, it might not be the best of options if you’re taller or often take passengers who are too.

It’s because panoramic sunroofs cut in to the amount of headroom available, which could mean that things could get quite tight for those of greater height.

Refrain from out-there colours to help resale values

Bright exterior colours do help to make you stand out from the crowd, but there’s a downside to opting for a jazzy paint scheme – it can have a negative effect on resale values.

This is particularly the case with yellow cars, which often suffer a considerable drop in price when used.

Remember shiny black trim pieces attract dust and fingerprints

A lot of manufacturers offer gloss black trim pieces for the interior of their cars, with long, flowing sections often trimmed in huge pieces of shiny black plastic.

However be warned – gloss plastic is a nightmare when it comes to collecting dust and fingerprints. Wood and textured finishers stay looking tidier for longer.

Research how your spec looks in real life, don’t just rely on how it looks in the configurator

Though it can be useful to head online when speccing a car, it’s just as important that you get a feel for how a car is in the metal. Paint colours which appear dark and drab on a screen may, in real life, appear far more vibrant than you thought too

The same goes for interior choices, and even the steering wheel size – it’s always worth sitting in a car before you buy it.

Iceland. It’s a country which, to many, will represent icy plains and sub-zero temperatures; snow-drenched mountains and the northern lights. But in summer time, it springs into life with wild rivers and vast forests making the freezing winter feel like a distant memory.

And because much of the snow and ice has melted away, wild tracks are left behind. Rutted, gravelly and strewn with obstacles, these roads are open to the public providing they’re in cars suitable to take on the job.

It makes it the perfect place to try out the new Nissan Navara – a truck famed for its off-road handling and rugged reliability. Certainly, with the Japanese firm claiming that the big one-tonne pick-up is even better on rough surfaces than ever before, it shouldn’t falter against what Iceland has to throw at it, right?

We land at Keflavik Airport, close to the capital Reykjavic. It’s grey and overcast and – despite being the start of July – pretty chilly, too. The first leg of our journey is a pretty standard meander down a normal stretch of highway; single lane roads restricted to just 90kmh (around 56mph). It feels like a snail’s pace, though it does mean that we get to drink in the Icelandic scenery as it unfurls either side of us.

At slower speeds the Navara behaves itself, displaying a fair amount of bodyroll in the bends but otherwise a distinct lack of drama. The ride at these lower speeds is jostly, but no worse than you’d expect from a car sitting on a traditional ladder chassis. There’s a touch of wind noise too, but given the Navara’s bluff grille and upright windscreen, it’s far better than you’d expect.

After the short hop along the coast we arrive at our overnight stop, and the sun is still very much in the sky. At this time of year there’s just around an hour of ‘twilight’ – it never properly gets dark. It means that when we finally retire at around 11:30 in the evening, it feels as though it could be the middle of the afternoon.

Up early next morning, and the trucks are lying in wait for us to get started. It’s a staggeringly beautiful start to the day, with vast, towering cliff faces close behind us staring a glorious flat stretch of countryside in the eye.

We’re actually surprisingly close to Eyjafjallajökull, the site of the volcanic eruption which caused travel chaos back in 2011. Fortunately enough there’s no signs of another eruption – the Navara is tough, but it’s unlikely to be able to withstand a trial by lava.

It’s quickly apparent that today’s drive wouldn’t be as mundane as the day before. We’re on tarmac for a short stretch, but our route quickly veers off from this an immediately hits rough gravel – more than manageable for the Nissan, but other less off-road-ready vehicles are already struggling as we pass them.

We scythe past the Seljalandsfoss waterfalls, and though we stop for a moment to soak up the scene, we’re quickly on the road again. The surface is getting even craggier now, with larger rocks impacting into the Navara’s tyres. We’re sending a huge plume of dust up behind us too which looks impressive, but means other vehicles give us plenty of distance.

We cross several streams and rivers (some deeper than others) and we’re amazed to see huge buses fitted with off-road tyres and lifted suspension fording the same sections with zero drama. The people on board seem just as lackadaisical – it’s as if they’re on the Megabus to Heathrow.

We’re aiming for the Basa huts and campsite – our middle stop for the day – and before long we’ve rolled into the site, crossing a small stream while doing so. Parked around us is a Smorgasbord (sorry, that’s Swedish) of off-road hardwear; lifted Nissan Patrols rub shoulders with ratty Range Rovers and several of the go-anywhere buses that we’d seen earlier. In the UK, the Navara towers over pretty much everything, but in Iceland it comes perilously close to being considered compact.

We have a brief stopover, and then it’s back to the trucks to continue on a more rugged leg of the journey. We’re in convoy now with the rest of the group (we’d been out on our own prior to this), and it means the pace has dropped, but it’s a necessary change; the terrain has become even more rutted and technical as we progress towards the edge of a large section of glacier.

From there, the route gets tougher. It varies between washboard sections of hard ground, to sandy berms and corners with a good helping of rocks and rivers thrown in for good measure. We keep the Navara in standard four-wheel-drive mode for the most part; low-range was only needed for the steepest of inclines, and even then the truck felt as though it could accomplish them without having to trouble that setting.

And soon, we’re closing in on the coast, leaving the mountains and glaciers behind. Before long sand comes into view, but it’s not white – it’s purest black, a clear indication of the island’s volcanic core. It necessitates dropping some of the air from the Navara’s tyres, to help it deal with the powder-soft sand.

With the wind roaring around us, we spike up a steep slope and come to a stop with a full view of the sea ahead. With the black sand, strong gusts and grey skies, it’s a bleak visage. The strength of the wind causes the sand to form around the Navaras lined in a row, giving each the distinct look that it’s being absorbed by the beach.

And with that, we head home. But what a commute back, with huge stretches of flat beach giving us ample room to see how the Navara copes with high speeds off-road. We dart and dive with another truck in the group, each taking turns to splash into the sea. It’s a scene to remember.

Before we know it, we’re at our overnight destination. The trucks breathe a sigh of relief, and more than a small amount of sand is deposited on the sand as we roll to a stop. It’s been a trip filled with climbs, rivers and staggeringly breath-taking scenery – and the Navara has taken it all in its stride.

A scrappage scheme is a great way of trading in your old car in order to get your hands on some new, shiny metal. It’s an incentive scheme which can help lower the overall price of a new car as well as helping to take older, more polluting vehicles off the UK’s roads.

Though there were several scrappage schemes in operation a few years ago, there are plenty still available today. They also apply to both petrol and diesel cars, meaning owners of either fuel type can trade their old car in against a new one. Let’s take a look at some available today.

Ford

Ford is one of the biggest manufacturers in the world, which means that its latest scrappage scheme here in the UK gives buyers access to plenty of new models. It’s currently offering up to £2,000 off the price of a new car when an old one is entered as part of the scheme, and this can be applied to most of Ford’s car and van range, with the exception of Zetec trim levels and the hot ST models.

To qualify, the car to be scrapped must have been registered before January 1, 2013, and the driver must have owned the vehicle for at least 30 days.

Hyundai

If you’re looking for one of the best scrappage scheme deals around, then turn to Hyundai – it’s currently offering up to £4,000 off a new model when you trade in your old motor. It applies to almost all the cars in the current Hyundai range, while that tip-top £4,000 discount applies to i30 (excluding N and N-Line models) and the Santa Fe SUV.

Eligible cars to be traded in must have been registered before October 1, 2011 and owned for three months. In addition, the new vehicle must be registered no later than the end of September.

Kia

Not only does Kia offer a range of well-priced, good to drive and brilliantly reliable cars, but it too has a scrappage scheme to take advantage of.

Models available include the Picanto, Stonic, Venga and Sportage – there’s £2,000 available off the first on that list, and up to £2,500 for the final three. The car you’re looking to trade in must have been registered before July 2012 and needs to have been owned for at least three months.
Mazda

Mazda’s scrappage scheme is one of the longest running, but by no means any less useful to the new car buyer. It’s available on any of the Japanese manufacturer’s cars that produce less than 144g/km CO2, excluding the all-new 3 hatchback. The smallest discounts are £3,000, and with the largest up to £6,000 off the price of a new 6 diesel.

The car being traded in must be have been registered by the end of 2010, and have been owned by the buyer for at least 60 days.

MG

MG’s scrappage scheme applies to just the MG3 hatchback, and the firm is offering up to £2,000 off the cost of the dinky city car. In addition, current MG owners can get an additional £500 on top of this when they trade in their car.

To qualify, the vehicle being traded in needs to be at least seven years old and owned for at least three months by the current owner.

Renault

Renault’s scrappage scheme includes the vast majority of its passenger car line-up, with cars such as the Kadjar SUV and even the all-electric Zoe part of it. Depending on model, you can get up to £3,000 off one of the models.

Both cars and vans can be traded in, providing they were registered before April 2012 and owned by the customer for at least 90 days.

Toyota

Toyota’s scrappage scheme only applies to the Aygo and Yaris models. The former sees £2,000 taken off its value in the scheme, and £2,500 from the latter. Hybrid versions are excluded, as are entry-level Active and X specifications.

Cars being scrapped need to have been registered before September 30, 2011, and owned by the buyer for at least six months. The new car must be registered before September 2019, too.

Vauxhall

Vauxhall calls its scrappage scheme ‘Trade Up’, and allows buyers to save up to £4,000 from the price of one of its new models, namely the Viva, Astra, Crossland X, Mokka X and Grandland X.

Any new car needs to be registered by September 30, 2019.

Electric car charging stations should offer contactless payment by next spring, the government announced today.

It would let people pay for charging their electric vehicle with a credit or debit card, as well as existing methods such as smartphone apps or membership cards.

Michael Ellis, future of mobility minister, said: “The government’s vision is for the UK to have one of the best electric vehicle charging networks in the world, but we know the variety of payment methods at the moment is a source of frustration for drivers.

“It is crucial there are easy payment methods available to improve electric vehicle drivers’ experiences and give drivers choice. This will help even more people enjoy the benefits electric vehicles bring and speed up our journey to a zero-emission future.”

We are adding Contactless payment to all 50kW and 150kW chargers on the @polarnetwork and will be retrofitting it to all existing Polar 50kW Ultracharge units over the next 12 months. https://t.co/uWKxL0Ik1b pic.twitter.com/3atarG4xAK

— BP Chargemaster (@BPChargemaster) July 15, 2019

The government has backed the installation of more than 20,000 public charge points across the UK, including more than 2,000 rapid chargers. There are now more places to charge an electric car than there are petrol stations.

It comes alongside an announcement by BP Chargemaster, which operates the UK’s largest network of charging sites, that it will introduce card payment options on all new 50kW and 150kW chargers from today. In addition, it will be retrofitting UK-made rapid chargers with card readers over the next 12 months.

Chief executive David Newton said: “We support the government’s vision for all new rapid and ultra-fast chargers to support contactless bank card payment.”

The initiative follows the prime minister’s announcement last week that a high-speed electric vehicle charging infrastructure needs to be developed nationally. The government has warned that it is prepared to intervene to ensure a good deal for consumers if the market is too slow to deliver improvements across the entire network.

Now that summer is well and truly upon us, keeping cool in the car takes more of an importance than it does at other times of year. Though lowering the windows, sliding the sunroof back or – in certain cars – folding away the roof completely may seem like a good option to keep the heat at bay, there’s really only one way of properly doing it – and that’s with air conditioning.

For many years it was reserved for premium cars or left to the expensive end of the optional extras list, but air conditioning is now a feature you’ll find on the vast majority of cars on sale today. Some are more complex systems than others, but all feature a myriad of buttons to help control them. But what do they all do? Let us explain.

Snowflake sign

The snowflake icon is one of the most crucial to the air conditioning’s control. Why? Well, it turns the system on, for starters. Pushing it engages the air conditioning, and kick-starts the a/c pump which draws heat and moisture out of the air before leaving it cooler than it was before.

One thing to note – you’ll have to turn the air blowers on in order for the air conditioning system
to initiate.

Auto sign

Lots of cars on sale today come with automatic air conditioning. This means that the on-board system notices the desired temperature you’ve set for the cabin, and constantly adjusts the air conditioning to ensure that this is maintained.

Some cars get dual-zone climate control too – this gives the passenger and driver the option to choose two seperate temperatures and have the car maintain them.

Sync

The sync button again applies to those cars which are fitted with dual-zone climate control. As driver and passenger can both choose separate temperatures, it can mean that one side of the car has the potential to be wildly warm and the other freezing cold.

Clicking the ‘sync’ button aligns the two temperatures – meaning the cabin will be one consistent heat rather than two.

Recirculation

Want to get your car as cool as possible? You’ll want to use the recirculation button then. It recirculates the cold air generated from the air conditioning system, and stops the warmer air outside the car from entering the cabin.

Just make sure you don’t use it when things get chilly outside. This is because the air conditioning needs to be adding fresh air to the cabin and reducing the amount of moisture inside – so fogged up windows are more likely to happen.

 

Air vents

Air vents are – obviously – the source of the air being transferred into the cabin. Keeping them clear and dust-free means you shouldn’t get any grubby air sent into the interior of your car.

Most cars get air vents with all manner of angles, meaning you’ll be able to direct the air exactly where you want it.

The Tesla Model 3 has topped the bill in Euro NCAP’s latest safety examinations, impressing in a variety of different and demanding tests.

It achieved a full five stars in the examinations, receiving a score of 96 per cent of adult occupant protection, 86 per cent for child occupant protection and 74 per cent for vulnerable road users protection.

It’s thanks in part to the Tesla’s range of safety assistance systems, including lane departure avoidance, blind spot collision warning and a speed assistance system.

The Tesla’s much-talked about AutoPilot system wasn’t assessed by Euro NCAP, though the testers have stated that it will start to rate systems in a separate programmed due for launch in 2020.

Matthew Avery, director of research at Thatcham Research, said: “The Tesla Model 3 achieved one of the highest Safety Assist scores we have seen to date. Its Collision Avoidance Assist system is first class, with its Autonomous Emergency Braking and Forward Collision Warning systems showing high levels of performance.

“Tesla has done a great job of playing the structural benefits of an electric vehicle to its advantage. Impact performance is enhanced by the absence of a mechanical engine and the car’s low centre of gravity. The Tesla Model 3 really benefits from its all electric-architecture.”

Skoda’s Scala was also praised following the tests, posting excellent scores in adult occupant and child occupant protection tests, as well as for safety assistance systems. Both the new Mercedes-Benz B Class and GLE also scored a full five stars.

What is it?

The Bentley Continental GT has long been the default choice in the luxurious grand tourer segment. And while the top-notch W12 has been retained on the new Conti, we haven’t yet seen a V8 option carried over from the older car to the new.

That’s until now. Bentley has introduced a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine into the Continental, promising a reduction in overall weight without any decrease in outright performance. The W12 is still available, mind you.

We’ve headed out to California to see what it’s like, and whether it changes the Continental GT experience.

What’s new?

As mentioned, the biggest difference here is that engine. We’ll get to it in closer detail further down, but for now the major changes elsewhere are subtle. There are V8 badges on the car’s flanks, while Bentley’s Dynamic ride which is standard-fit on the W12 is now an optional extra.

It’s packed with safety tech, such as active lane assist and traffic jam assist, while retaining that all-important sense of occasion that you get with all Bentleys. The interior is hand-finished, and a new revolving infotainment screen adds a sense of theatre to the cabin. But, as with the engine, we’ll get to that in a minute.

Driving the new Bentley Continental GT V8 in California today. And that’s all I’m allowed to tell you. pic.twitter.com/FlXeUawGxc

— Jack Evans (@jackrober) June 24, 2019

What’s under the bonnet?

Under the Bentley’s long, sweeping bonnet is where the biggest change lies. The new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 produces 542bhp and a hefty 770Nm of torque. It means that the Continental GT is good for a 0-60mph dash in 3.9 seconds, as well as a 198mph top speed. They’re impressive figures for what is still a large car.

It’s down to the placement of the turbochargers inside the ‘V’ of the engine for better response, as well as the car’s all-wheel-drive system which helps with traction. Power is, incidentally, sent to these four wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

The engine has been placed further back than before to help with the car’s balance, while three-chamber air springs deliver the best possible ride, as well as also giving the driver the ability to firm them up for more ‘spirited’ driving.

What’s it like to drive?

Look at the Continental GT and, upon first impressions, you’d argue that its sheer size would be a limiting factor. In truth, around town its bulk does obstruct you slightly, with that long bonnet and low-slung driving position meaning low-speed manoeuvres take a little more effort. It’s what you’d expect from a car of this type, though.

But it’s with increased speed where the Bentley manages to disguise its size so well. Turn-in is brilliantly sharp, and thanks to both the wealth of torque at your disposal and the all-wheel-drive system you can pin the throttle at the corner’s exit and find it dragging itself out with brutish force. Even sharper corners feel no match for it, and then when you’re done seeing where its limits lie, it’ll settle down to a cruise in typical Bentley fashion.

It’s when you pick up the pace that things change elsewhere too. The V8 is almost fighter plane-loud in its aural assault on your ears, bellowing and crackling – it’s brilliantly full of character.

How does it look?

The new Continental GT is a well-rounded advancement on the older car in terms of looks. It’s impressive, that’s for sure, and during our time in California it caused many a head to turn and smartphone snap. The bold front headlights sit either side of a now even larger front grille, while sharp cuts help keep things interesting on the flanks.

In our eyes, the rear of the car is the weakest point. The oval lights seem at odds with the shape of the car. But looks are, of course, subjective.

What’s it like inside?

The interior of the Continental GT has been superbly finished, with high-quality leather meeting metal vents and glossy trim pieces. Ergonomically it’s spot on too, with plenty of adjustment for the driver via the seat and steering wheel.

Does it feel worth of its £148,000 base price? For sure. There are plenty of knurled controls, and the buttons have a solid feeling to them too.

Our only real issue comes from the passenger’s seat. There’s no real padding on the side closest to the driver, and a lack of grab handle near the gearstick (as you’ll find on a variety of sports cars) or in the traditional position above the window means your legs can quite often bash into the main tunnel when cornering hard. It’s a small niggle, we’ll admit, but it’s a niggle all the same.

What’s the spec like?

The biggest change to the latest generation of Continental GT is the inclusion of a 12.3-inch central touchscreen. It houses satellite navigation, media functions and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity too. The infotainment was a weak point for the older Continental, but this is a far better system, thanks to an easy to navigate layout and responsive screen.

And if that wasn’t enough, it rotates. Press a button and the screen turns to reveal a set of analogue dials or do without completely and leave a clean piece of wood trim there instead. It allows you to de-clutter the cabin, and it works well. It’s a little pricey, however; tick the box, and you’ll find an additional £4,770 on the car’s price.

Verdict

The Continental GT is, as the name suggests, a grand tourer first and foremost. But this V8 version goes further than that. The weight shed by swapping the W12 out for the V8 gives it genuine agility in the corners, while the engine’s refinement means it’s still got that cross-country ability you want from a car of this type.

Though many would see the W12 as the ‘top’ engine and therefore the go-to option, we’d argue the opposite is the case. The V8 transforms the Continental GT experience, and means that should you want to exploit a twisty, technical road you can. It broadens the GT’s abilities considerably, which is why the Continental GT V8 is, in our eyes, the one to go for.

Facts at a glance

Model as tested: Bentley Continental GT V8
Price: £148,100
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 770Nm
Max speed: 198mph
0-60mph: 3.9 seconds
MPG: TBC
Emissions: TBC

What is it?

Outright luxury is something that Bentley knows a thing or two about, and what could be more luxurious than a four-seater, V8-powered convertible? As its name suggests, that’s where the new Continental GT V8 Convertible chimes in. It benefits from the new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharger powertrain, but now in a drop-top package rather than the standard coupe.

But does lopping the roof of detract from the overall experience? We’ve jetted off to California to find out.

What’s new?

As with the Coupe, one of the biggest changes here is the engine. Though we’ve already got a W12-powered Continental GT Convertible available in the UK, this is the first time that it’s been available with a smaller, yet no-less-potent V8 powertrain.

Then, of course, there’s the roof. Able to quickly give everyone inside the car an open-air experience, it’s fabric and constructed with typical Bentley attention to detail. Elsewhere, there are a smattering of V8-bespoke touches to help distinguish it against the W12 version.

What’s under the bonnet?

The Continental GT V8 Convertible is powered by, you guessed it, a V8 engine. It’s a twin-turbocharged unit, pushing out 542bhp and 770Nm of torque. Power is sent to the road via all four wheels and an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. It’s only slightly slower than the hardtop in its race to 60mph – four seconds dead instead of 3.9 – but it’ll still hit the same 198mph top speed.

It gets three-chamber air suspension from the off, though Bentley’s 48V active anti-roll bar is now an optional extra – you get it thrown in as standard on the W12 car.

What’s it like to drive?

One of the biggest issues for a convertible is weight – pure and simple. The motor required to lift and fold a roof – as well as put it back together again – has to add bulk, and this can often have a considerable effect on the way the car drives.

But though the Convertible is accompanied by an additional 150kg over the Coupe, it’s very hard to tell. It manages its heft through the bends just as well as the hardtop, while the V8’s urgency feels no less sharp than in the Coupe. And, ideally for a soft top, the GT does cruising effortlessly well, with its well-sorted suspension and dynamic ride (fitted to our test car) helping to isolate almost all the lumps and bumps in the road away from the cabin.

How does it look?

Convertibles can occasionally look a little awkward compared to their Coupe stablemates, but fortunately, this isn’t the case with the Continental GT Convertible. Roof up or down, it’s a pretty looking thing, with sleek lines and well-judged proportions resulting in a car which just looks ‘right’ out on the road.

That fabric roof is available in one of seven colours too, and takes just 19 seconds to raise or lower at speeds of up to 30mph, meaning you’ve got more than enough time to get the roof in place at the lights should rain appear.

As we mentioned with the Coupe, the rear is where the design is weakest, in our eyes. That said, our test car, finished in stunning ‘Barnato’ green, was drawing the attention of passers-by here, there and everywhere.

What’s it like inside?

The interior of the Bentley Continental GT Convertible is almost ridiculously well finished. Each section feels as though all manner of care and attention has been lavished upon it but, importantly for a car like this, it’s still ergonomically sound. The quilted leather seats feel waxy and high quality, while the polished metal air vents and traditional organ stop controls give the cabin a properly luxurious edge.

We’d like the gearshift paddles to be a little larger, however; they are a key contact point on the GT, and one which keener drivers will frequently engage with – so why can’t they be more of an event, rather than stubby and plastic-feeling?

What’s the spec like?

The specification list on the Conti GT Convertible is exhaustive, with that new 12.3-inch touchscreen setup dominating the list of available tech. As we found on the Coupe, it’s a big step up over previous systems, and now feels like it lives up the car’s list price.

Our car also came with heaters in the headrest (less relevant for summertime California, but likely to be a well-received feature in winter time Cheltenham), as well as seats which were both heated and ventilated. A heads-up display is thrown in too, and it’s clear and easy to read.

It’s worth noting that boot space is affected in the Convertible, down to 235 litres in contrast to the 385 litres you’ll find in the Coupe. It’s because of the folding roof mechanism.

Verdict

The Bentley Continental GT Convertible does everything you could want a big, luxurious drop-top to do. It’s comfortable, refined and, more than anything, it feels special. Throw in its ability to devour corners just as easily as it does long stretches of motorway, and you have yourself a potent package. Though it will command a premium of around £15,000 over the coupe, it’s likely that once owners have the roof down and the wind in their hair, that increase won’t matter in the slightest.

Facts at a glance

Model: Continental GT V8 Convertible
Price: £163,700
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power (bhp): 542
Torque (Nm): 770
Max speed (mph): 198
0-60mph: 3.9 seconds
MPG: TBC
Emissions (g/km): TBC

Going sideways in a car. It’s something that a lot of us have seen, be that on the internet (where many people are captured getting it horribly wrong) or even in the local empty supermarket car park.

But it’s something that isn’t advisable, nor really legal, out on the public road. The best place to learn about car control is always on private land with plenty of space, few things to hit and – most importantly – no one around.

The Caterham Seven, meanwhile, isn’t a car you’d usually associate with drifting. Though it has the go-to combination of being rear-wheel-drive and relatively highly-powered, it’s a car which is more focused on handling and grip rather than smoking tyres and hitting big angles.

The Caterham Drifting Experience, however, aims to go against that. It’s a new experience, created in partnership with MotorSport Vision (MSV) to give people the opportunity to go drifting in a Seven. And we’ve been given the chance to try it out before it goes live.

It’s being hosted at Brands Hatch, and though this may conjure up visions of attacking bends on the track – which is going to form part of the experience, albeit at additional cost – we’d be focussing on drift sections, which takes place in one of Brands’ large paddocks.

We’re shown to the cars and, to begin with, they appear to be like any old 270R model. Sure enough, they use the same 1.6-litre petrol engine with 135bhp as you’d find in the road-going Seven, but there have been some subtle changes made to them in order to better their ability to go sideways.

Chief among these are the tyres. Though the fronts are sticky, like you’d expect to find on any Caterham, the rears are effectively van tyres – and they’ve been pumped up to rock solid levels. It means that while the front of the car will generate plenty of traction, the rear will be free to slip around.

First, we’re let loose around a coned track with an instructor sat beside us. Immediately, the difference is noticeable and though we’re taking things slow to begin with, the car is eager to step out with the merest hint of throttle.

We’re given a few ‘settling’ loops of the circuit of cones, prodding the throttle and feeling the car begin to slide. It’s wonderfully progressive, and the Caterham’s dinky little steering wheel is easy to navigate. The finale of the loop is a doughnut – which you’d think would require you to mash the throttle to the floor and apply some steering angle.

But in reality that isn’t the case. There’s an initial, sharp snatch of throttle needed to unsettle the car, and then routine stabs of gas to ensure it keeps rotating, consistently adjusting the steering to keep it going in one, perfect circle. It’s a lot harder than it looks, but before long it’s all knitting together.

Trying out Caterham’s new drift experience today. Sticky front tyres on the car, van ones at the back. Here’s rare, never-before-seen footage of @WillBeaumont going sideways too. pic.twitter.com/LjWCIyBtzl

— Jack Evans (@jackrober) May 22, 2019

The instructor then clambers out of the Seven (exiting a Caterham has never been a graceful thing), and we’re given the chance to attack the course completely solo. It’s akin to the teacher stepping out of the class; all of a sudden you’re committing more throttle, taking corners at greater speeds and testing your bravery on each new loop of the track. Most of the time it all comes together, though on many occasions it doesn’t – in spectacular fashion, we’d add.

The organisers then announce that the course is being re-jigged. Rather than a simple single cone to doughnut around, there would be a figure of eight section to navigate. It means you have to enter the area sideways, rotate around the cone and allow the car to naturally pendulum in the opposite direction to travel in, predictably, a figure of eight.

Again, it’s a case of sounding easier than it is. The initial slip is fine – it’s just the same as the previous exercise – but tying it together in one, fluid figure of eight takes some practice. Thankfully we manage to avoid hitting the cones – and only once over-do a slide – and soon have an eight-shaped drift on the go. It’s addictive stuff; each time you come back in, you’re raring to have another crack at it.

The Seven itself is a breeze to control. Though the unassisted steering is a touch heavy to begin with, once up to speed it becomes second nature. The instant throttle response makes judging how much gas the car needs easy, and the brakes (though not all that needed) provide enough stopping power to quickly unsettle the car, and make it easier to slide.

We come to a halt, and before we know it the day has come to an end. Not only has it been huge amounts of fun, but it’s been informative too – the way a car reacts on the very limit of grip showcases so much about weight transfer and responses that it could improve the way you deal with driving in slippery conditions, or if you were to start sliding in an emergency situation.

This event isn’t something exclusive to journalists, either. It’s going to be a new experience offer located permanently at Brands Hatch. Each drift session costs £189 and consists of three hours of driving. For those looking for more of a challenge, there’s a track experience too. For £549, it gets you six sessions of 15 minutes, and is conducted alongside pre-existing track day events.