The Continental GT’s profile is longer and lower than its predecessor, due in part to the positioning of the front wheels 135mm further forward, which in turn allows the bonnet to be extended and the nose to be lowered. There’s plenty of room for 4 adults to stretch out comfortably and ample luggage room in the capacious boot. 
This all-new Bentley Continental GT Coupe is a luxury tourer offering exquisite design and craftsmanship, as well as unrivalled power alongside advanced auto technology.
In the words of Wolfgang Durheimer, Bentley’s chairman and CEO: “Bentley has been at the forefront of luxury Grand Touring for nearly one hundred years. The new, third-generation Continental GT is the pinnacle of our design and engineering achievements and marks the next step in Bentley’s journey”.
We reach our destination some 30km north of Dubai – at a lofty 1,934m above sea level.
Just a year ago you were lucky to get a coffee this side of the mountain. Today, there is a fabulous roof deck and restaurant area – perfect for launches and lunches. And the world’s longest zip line (Toroverde, 2.83km long) at 1680m, as well as a vertiginous via ferrata for daredevils.
From the elevated decking outside the restaurant, we look over the desert below towards the seaside city of Ras Al Khaimah. Thankfully, it’s about 10 degrees colder up here – the Jebel Jais Hajar mountains stand nearly 2,000 metres above sea level. It’s still autumn, but the heat in the Emirates envelops you like a sweaty oven.
The table is laid, and we dine on a Peak of Luxury feast from top chef Colin Clague. Some of Clague’s notable achievements include being part of the pre-opening team for the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, as well as executive chef at Zuma – the award-winning Japanese izakaya restaurant in London and Dubai.
Our sit-down meal begins with mocktails: lime and elderflower, as well as a superb ‘1919’ (the year Bentley was founded) – comprising grapefruit juice, passion fruit syrup, pomegranate molasses and lemonade) – quite the best mocktail I’ve ever tasted.
Chef Clague has curated a bespoke British menu with a Middle Eastern twist. A delicious Lock Fyne Sottish salmon for starters, followed by mulligatawny soup with Baharat spiced quail. Mains: a choice of seared sirloin of beef or poached haddock fishcake and a slow-cooked egg. And dessert a wonderful elderflower jelly with mixed berries, raspberry sorbet. A fitting meal for such a refined British marque.
There’s time for a wander before we descend the mountain in the Bentaygas.
The panoramic views from here are spectacular: rocky desert terrain dotted with Berber villages. Dust. Heat. Adventure. And superb driving roads which are almost empty.
I’d driven Bentley’s award-winning luxury SUV before, but only along country lanes in Oxfordshire, so this was a very different terrain.
The new Bentayga 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine sounds like a racing car, and her twin quad exhaust tailpipes not only emit an essential sexy growl but they look very cool, too. This ultimate luxury SUV has a generous range of 464 miles and a top speed of 180mph, although we really needed a track for that – or an autobahn. I certainly got to test her 0 to 60mph in 4 seconds along a straight – pure adrenaline.
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