I am lucky enough to be sent a wide variety of cars for evaluation on home turf, and I always look forward to their arrival. However, when a Bentley is due, there is an increased level of anticipation. A teenage me would scarcely believe that this great British manufacturer of fine motor cars would deem me worthy of a loan.

It was therefore with huge delight that I welcomed a nice man from Crewe who swept up my driveway one fine Friday morning in a pale blue Continental GT, mine for a long weekend.

This fourth generation Continental GT is better looking than ever, having been honed to perfection over the 21 years that the model has been on sale. It looks great from all angles, well in my eyes at least.

For me, where any Bentley scores is its interior. Having been on a factory tour, I was most impressed with the love and care the dedicated workforce put into the making of each vehicle. The finest leathers are used, creating a heady aroma when you climb aboard. There’s a huge choice of wood veneers for the dashboard and the switchgear is hewn from fine metal.

Almost immediately I set off on my latest Bentley adventure, a clear diary already arranged for the afternoon. The GT is an easy car to get comfortable in, with logically placed controls and buttons for many of the main functions. The driving position is imperious too.

Some of my favourite local roads beckoned, and I revelled in the near silence of the cabin, save for the growl of the twin-turbocharged V8 engine when extended. My test car came equipped with the new hybrid powertrain, which adds a 140kW electric motor. This allows for up to 50 miles of electric only running and up to motorway speeds too. In practice this range was perfectly reachable.

Topping the battery up required just a few hours on my 7kW Rolec home charger, but when driven in Sport mode, the engine would save the battery and slowly top it up for use on the more urban leg of a journey.

It will come as no surprise to know that the Continental GT is a fast car. Combining the engine with an electric motor boosts power to a heady 782PS and with the torque figure of 1000Nm, the merest flex of the right foot was enough to send the car careering down the road at a rate of knots. For those who like figures, the 0 to 60mph sprint time is 3.1 seconds, with 100mph being reached in under 7 seconds. I can confirm the first and do not doubt the second! Oh, and let’s not forget a top speed of 208mph.

On Saturday morning I was up with the lark, keen to enjoy the Dales’ roads before the tourist traffic ventured out. And what fun was had, pushing the Conti GT hard and fast on some really quite challenging roads. Even though it is a wide car, it never felt intimidating and with familiarity it shrank around me.

A quick breakfast was enjoyed at the mighty fine Tebay services before heading home via the M6. A few junctions were enough to confirm that this is a car built for covering continents. Antibes for dinner perhaps, lunch on the banks of Lake Como – I’d drive rather than fly, anytime.

Sunday was my last full day with the car and a friend and I set of to find somewhere nice for lunch. Enjoying the drive, we ventured further than intended onto the empty moorland roads making up much of Teesdale and ended up at one of my favourite pubs, the Lord Crewe Arms in Blanchland, some two hours from home.

Suitably fed and watered we retraced our steps and arriving home there was no trace of fatigue. We had travelled quickly, quietly and in the lap of luxury and I was enjoying the drive so much, I could have carried on long into the evening.

In three days, I covered some 350 miles, each one a delight. The Continental GT is everything you might expect it to be and more. The ability to run on the battery alone, gives the car some green credentials, but it will never be a cheap car to run. That being said, if you have the princely sum of £271,745 (before options) to buy a similar car, I doubt such matters will be of any consequence.

The options are extensive and expensive, with each car leaving the Crewe factory with a unique specification, thus adding to the marque’s desirability.

Wherever I parked the Bentley, it certainly attracted attention. I had some lovely conversations with appreciative passersby, and most were impressed though a little shocked by the price. Some say the best things in life are free. There are some exceptions, and the Bentley Continental GT Mulliner is most definitely one of them.

Fast Facts
• Bentley Continental GT Mulliner
• Price £271,745
• 4-litre twin-turbo V8
• 140kW electric motor
• Combined power 782PS
• Combined torque 1000Nm
• 0-60mph in 3.1 seconds
• 0-100mph in 6.9 seconds
• Top speed 208mph
• Electric range – up to 50 miles
• Combined economy 27.4mpg
• Emissions – 29g/km CO2