Bentley Continental Gt 
This is the first of the "VW" Bentleys, engineered under the guidance of the Germany company after it bought control of the venerable British carmaker, and the overall effort is pretty impressive. External styling continues to disappoint. The GT looks big and bland, its under-detailed, slabby flanks lacking the sort of head turning visual presence that Bentley used to be famous for. That said, inside the hand-built cabin it feels far better, with plenty of old-school Bentley wood-and-leather alongside modern technology. It's a supremely comfortable place to spend time thanks to a brilliant driving position and excellent refinement at high speed. Handling sticks closely to the established Bentley script - this never feels like anything less than a massive car. But get the measure of the GT and it's possible to hustle it along at an impressive pace, helped out by the clever adaptive damping system. But it feels most at home in wide, open spaces, with the massively impressive 6.0 litre turbocharged W12 engine working to deliver the horizon, first class. Performance is towering - this is a genuine 200 mph car. As you'd expect, ownership costs are truly terrifying too - but if your pockets are deep enough the GT is a far more usable everyday prospect than its more esoteric supercar rivals.
Ferrari F430
Even with the unarguable talents of the 360 Modena there was no question that Ferrari had to up its game. There was the Lamborghini Gallardo to contend with as well as unexpected opposition from the 200mph Ford GT to even four-door rivals from BMW and Mercedes.But react it did - with the new F430. Restyled, reshaped and improved in every direction the baby Ferrari is far better than its forebear. Better enough, in fact, to be considered the best sports car on the planet.It's a fabulous supercar. Find the right piece of road to exploit its abilities and it's got the potential to leave you light-headed. Performance from the new 483bhp 4.3-litre V8 is stupendous serving up power and torque that a 360 owner could only dream about, complete with an ear-splitting soundtrack when you're nudging the 8500rpm red-line The completely reworked chassis and new electronic diff can make the best of it too. Even those new to the supercar experience won't feel daunted by driving it fast and the suspension remains incredibly composed over the harshest of surfaces. This is a Ferrari anyone could drive everyday.It's just as civilised inside the cabin. Once ensconced in the tight-fitting sports seat you're struck by the quality of the fixtures and fittings but also by the comfort and space on offer for both passengers. There is limited luggage accommodation, granted, and some of the switches and controls aren't ideally placed. But it looks and feels the part and in keeping with the six-figure price tag. Something you could say about every aspect of the F430.
Cost Price: ± $200.000
Engine: V8, 4308 cc
Power, bhp: 490
Transmission: 6-spd/F1
Driven Wheels: R
Top speed: 196 mph
0 - 62 mph: 4.0 seconds
Fuel consumption: 15.4 mpg
Audi Q7
For years, Audi resisted making this car - arguing that SUVs were just a fad and that demand would eventually fade. The company was wrong, of course, and the Q7 is an admission of that mistake. The outrageous success of the X5, M Class and XC90 made this car inevitable. Based on the same platform that underpins the gawky Volkswagen Touareg and the willfully ugly Porsche Cayenne, it's not too surprising to find that the Q7 is a car with opinion-splitting styling. The front end projects plenty of visual presence, but from other angles the big Audi looks like a generic pastiche of some of its competitors. Inside, there's more to enjoy with a fine driving environment and plenty of gadgets - including options like active cruise control and a very clever anti-blindspot radar, which detects overtaking traffic and warns the driver through lights incorporated into the door mirror housing. It's useful too, thanks to a third row of seats. These offer more space than those in the XC90 or Land Rover Discovery, and can be collapsed into the boot floor easily to maximize luggage space. The suspension system is also premium quality, with air springing standard on all versions. Handling is impressive, the Audi belying its two-ton bulk with impressively composed cornering. And it's comfortable, too - thanks to a soothing, well-damped ride and excellent noise refinement. Both the 4.2-litre V8 - taken from the RS4 - and recently revised 3.0-litre TDI are strong performers, although you'll soon be on first name terms with your local filling station manager if you opt for the petrol. Both ship with Audi's six-speed Tiptronic auto box. Cost Price: ± $50.000 Engine: V6, 3597 cc
Power, bhp: 280
Transmission: 6-spd tiptronic
Driven Wheels: 4
Top speed: 143 mph
0 - 62 mph: 8.5 seconds
Fuel consumption: 22.2 mpg
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