'I drove Elton John's classic Bentley and found cool features not found in most new cars'

When picturing Elton John, it is easy to think about the dozens of brilliant songs he has given us, not to mention the eccentric outfits and glasses.

However, with a career spanning more than half a century, Elton has owned more cars than most motorists could ever dream of.

Over the years, the singer has spent time behind the wheel of a succession of Jaguars, Minis and Aston Martins, but there is one brand in particular that seems to reign supreme: Bentley.

Press photos from the 1970s show Elton standing beside a 1950s Continental proudly displayed on his house’s driveway, whilst the 1985 music video to Nikita extensively features a garish red Bentley T-Series Cabriolet.

So, when I was approached by the Great British Car Journey, a Derbyshire museum dedicated to vehicles built in the UK, and asked if I wanted to drive an example formerly owned by Elton himself, I jumped at the chance.

Styling:

Compared to some of the other models he owned, the 1996 Bentley Continental T Coupe felt relatively restrained, especially in its unfathomably dark shade of green that, in most cases, looks jet black.

However, stepping towards it for the first time, I did feel like I was in the presence of something very special, not least because of that classic Bentley front end with its stocky grille, quad headlights and hugely ridged bonnet.

In many ways, at least from the front, the Continental T Coupe is an incredibly deceptive car. It may have the boxy and hefty appearance of any other luxury car, but Golf GTIs will hardly leave it in the dust.

Powertrain:

Underneath that gigantic bonnet lives a turbocharged version of the 6.75-litre Bentley V8 which, in the Continental T, was capable of producing 400bhp.

Despite weighing nearly 2.5 tonnes, that level of power means drivers who are brave enough can accelerate from 0-60mph in just 6.2 seconds and a top speed of around 170mph.

Whilst I was not particularly brave behind the wheel, Richard Usher, owner of The Great British Car Journey, reliably informed me that he got the Bentley up to a very spritely 130mph on a circuit one time.

Interior:

Getting inside the Bentley, the first thing that hit me was the ‘Coachbuilt by Muliner Park Ward’ plate on both sills. Coachbuilder, a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce until 1998, the Continental T Coupe was one of the last models they worked on.

However, it shows. The interior of the Continental T Coupe is a symphony of dark green leather and Burr walnut veneer, only to be interrupted by the staggering amount of dials and switches on display.

Where modern cars feature a massive touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard, the Continental T features no less than eight dials to show the temperature of just about all the fluids in the engine, the amount of power in the battery, and, at the heart of it all, the state of the turbocharger.

Driving:

Turning the key, pushing the big red button on the centre console, and feeling a little bit like a fighter pilot, the distinctive rumble of a V8 roared into life.

Pulling away, I was really taken back by how smooth the Bentley was. With the car’s six-digit value still fresh in my mind, I glided away with gentle pressure on the accelerator, soaking up any bumps as if they were nothing.

That said, I was able to summon enough courage to put the Continental T through its paces on the slalom course offered by the museum. For something that looks to be as agile as your typical yacht, it responded very well, darting into and out of corners with no feeling of uncertainty.

Standard Equipment:

However, no matter whether it’s crawling around a car park or trying to take corners like a track car, the Bentley left me feeling staggered at just how many unique features it had.

Bearing in mind that it was produced in 1996, a time when colour-coded bumpers and power steering were still signs of luxury motoring, the Bentley was fitted with heated seats with four power levels, dual-zone air conditioning, and even a steering wheel that automatically raises when the door is open to make getting out easier.

What’s more, being Elton John’s car, the Continental T was fitted with a very swish Alpine stereo system, although I was somewhat disappointed that there weren’t any of his own albums loaded into the cassette deck.

Conclusion:

Being someone who spends most of his time behind the wheel of modern, mass-produced family cars, I was very pleased that I avoided damaging Elton John’s Bentley; after all, it is hardly replacable.

However, the lasting impression I have is just how smooth the Continental T was. Sure, I had the power to reach 60mph faster than an Audi TT or Mazda MX-5, but that didn’t matter.

All I cared about was that I was cruising along in a classic Bentley, sitting in the same spot and clutching the same green leather steering wheel that Elton John did around 25 years ago.