Marque: Bentley - Company History & Models - Cars By Brand

PAST: Surely one of the most controversial Bentleys ever made – because it’s actually a Volkswagen Phaeton saloon under the skin! Launched in 2003, the twin turbo W12- powered GT was initially a coupe before the GTC convertible arrived in 2005.

PRESENT: Whether you feel that it’s a real Bentley or not, you can’t deny that the GT is a superb car with masses of pace – care of 552bhp – and a surplus of grip care of four-wheel drive. VW may have provided the dynamics but Bentley brought its traditional qualities to the party and you can’t beat the build and ambiance of the car although the ride on big 20 in wheels is jarring.

FUTURE: These cars have been losing money hand over fist but expect to see them stabilizing in the next couple of years. Not all specialists like or cater for them. Mulliner pack is most wanted - not blinged or WAG’s cars.

PAST: Introduced as a racier, sportier alternative to the original T Series coupes and ragtops, the Corniche was launched in 1971 replacing these earlier bespoke cars with more flowing flanks. Saloon dropped in 1980, revised convertibles were re-badged Contintenals in 1984. Car gained more power in 1993 together with Adaptive Ride Control suspension, airbags and a new auto transmission before bowing out with dignity in 1995.

PRESENT: A sportier, shapelier T Series, this pair are perhaps the last traditional Bentleys. Feel good factor is more down to a sense of occasion as they drive similar to the saloon; post ‘76 cars better and last of line are best.

FUTURE: Again, the sheer rarity of the Bentley versions will result in higher prices over the Rolls equivalent. Costly and complex to restore, especially the hydraulic systems. Buy the best you can from the outset.

PAST: First of the modern post war designs with classical styling and uprated chassis featuring advanced electrically controlled dampers. Engine now enlarged to 4.9-litres with six port head for a lot more urge. First cars lacked power steering but it soon came on stream in 1956. Longer wheel base option for 1957 while V8 introduced for S2s of ’59 with four-speed Hydramatic auto. S3s of ‘62 feature quad headlamps, better seats and reworked V8 to cure early ills.

PRESENT: These swift and stylish luxury saloons are becoming hot property because they are still fine value for money and smack of old money taste. Fingerlight power steering makes the going easy. Beautiful cruisers but early V8s are fickle and six pot unit is the wiser choice.

FUTURE: Already prices are starting to surpass Silver Shadow values and we reckon this will continue. They all rot like mad and many were bodged over the years.

The price of being able to blow away Escorts in a turbocharged wing-back armchair was an inheritance-shrinking £101,400. The Escorts are all but gone, but you can buy a 320bhp Bentley Turbo R for the same price you’d have shelled out for an XR3i back in the 80s. Prices start from around £7000 for an early car, which is dangerously tempting. Cheaper and less likely to have grazed its knees in a scrap with hot hatches is the more sedate Rolls Royce Silver Spirit, a car built around the same bodyshell and using the same 6.75-litre V8. That was launched in 1980, with the lengthened Silver Spur following on to provide sir with some extra room to flap the Times in the rear. The chauffeur may have long gone, but so too has the premium pricing. £5000 is all you need for a mechanical lottery, or double it for a decent Roller. You might want to look post-1986 for better build quality along with ABS brakes and fuel injection instead of carburettors, but neither the Bentley or Rolls have much to do with modernity. The engines are mostly reliable, never having done much more than throb lazily (even the Turbo Rs), but they will rust in places like the wheel arches and the wing bottoms. All that weight also puts stresses on suspension components that will eventually give up expensively. But whatever state it’s in, a Roller or Bentley never loses the aroma of riches.