Bentley

The most luxurious version of VW’s Touareg platform, offering almost limitless customisation.

If you desire an ultra-luxury SUV with proven German engineering and engines, but the bespoke options of a British hand-built configuration, the Bentayga is an excellent option.

The colour, trim and feature catalogue, especially for interior items, is staggering. But be warned, the journey to comprehensive Bentayga personalisation can add hugely to the price.

You can truly create a unique Bentayga. With terrific personalisation and all the support and warranty integrity of owning a luxury vehicle from an established manufacturer.

Driving experience is a triumph of engineering over weight and centre of gravity. Best option is to avoid the wheel size syndrome and order your Bentayga with the standard 21-inch wheels.

Avoid the V6 hybrid, which is pointless considering Bentley’s Le Mans racing heritage. Powertrain of choice is the 4.0 twin-turbocharged petrol.

Extended wheelbase version suits the Bentayga character excellently, enhancing both vehicle appearance and packing capacity for those luxury long-distance road journeys.

The model that has defined 21^st century Bentley. A devastating combination of imposing design, ultra-luxury coupe cabin, and powerful real-world performance.

Trim, colour and customisation options are almost infinite. And Bentley’s hand-built quality is legendary. But be careful not to inch up too much on the wheel sizes, as this compromises the Continental GT on South African road surfaces.

New Continentals are only available with a mild-hybrid 4.0 twin-turbo petrol engine. It’s terrifically powerful but lacks the character of the 6.0 W12, which was discontinued in 2024. Pre-owned W12s are highly desirable for their unique engine configuration, sound and powertrain characteristics.

The current third-generation Continental V8s are very powerful but also heavy, and they use an 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Which can become vulnerable and expensive to maintain in the long term, compared to a traditional torque-converter automatic.

Ironically, despite Bentley being owned by VW, there’s no German two-door luxury GT that rivals a Continental.