We review the Bentley Continental GT Speed (2013) from price to economy and all its features

SAN Francisco sunshine, the world’s fastest four-seat convertible and a 1,000 mile drive… perfect.

Especially when you’ve just left England in the grip of an icy Arctic freeze.

And my trip in the Bentley Continental GT Speed turned into a dream drive from San Francisco to Las Vegas in two glorious days of high-speed driving — roof down the whole way.

America is actually the ideal location for a Bentley — and not just because of the weather.

It’s the biggest sales market for the luxury brand and the GT convertible.

Mind you, Bentley are currently enjoying sales success across the world, as the British firm have once again established themselves as one of the favourite brands for the rich and famous.

And when you see the GT Speed convertible glistening in the early-morning sunshine, it’s easy to see why.

There may be more exotic convertibles than the Bentley but none can match its aristocratic grandeur.

Ideal location for a Bentley … Brit firm is going global

It’s the perfect mix of high-speed performance and unashamed luxury — a mobile testament to British craftsmanship at its very best.

It has to be the classiest way to get a sun tan — albeit a seriously expensive one as it carries a price tag of £167,900.

The GT Speed also happens to be the fastest way to experience wind-in-the-hair motoring for four people, living up to its name with a top marker of 202mph.

Floor the accelerator pedal and you are propelled forward in a wave of power. Forget about 0-60mph times — the GT Speed hits 100mph in just 9.7 seconds and continues relentlessly until you join the 200mph club.

It should feel like a violent punch in the back but this is a Bentley and it does all the hard work in a ridiculously smooth and serene manner.

Clearly they are excessive speeds that will lose you your licence and the reality is you won’t drive anywhere near the top speed in the UK.

But knowing the Bentley can do it is part of what makes it so special. What you will do constantly is flatten the accelerator pedal just so you can hear the velvety sound of the 6litre W12 cylinder engine.

In full cry, it is a motoring masterpiece — a deep rumble that erupts like a volcano.

There are other elements that take the driving experience to an added dimension of pure pleasure.

Things such as the brilliant eight-speed auto gearbox, which can switch to manual mode via F1-style paddles on the steering column or a beautifully crafted aluminium gearlever. The way the Bentley handles at speed is also truly remarkable, even more so when you think how big it is.

The grip at times seems to defy the laws of physics and it’s capable of doing it in any conditions — as I experienced in the snow-capped mountains of Nevada — because the GT Speed is equipped with all-wheel drive.

Lowered and self-levelling sports suspension that adapts instantly to the road also gives the GT a magic carpet ride at speeds which would see most cars careering off the road.

I could happily spend the rest of my driving days sitting in the glorious luxury of the Bentley, because this is British craftsmanship in wood and leather that no one can equal.

You can see, touch and feel the hours of painstaking expertise that have gone into crafting the Bentley cabin — the intricate hand-stitching of the leather work and wood that has been lovingly shaped like sculpted furniture.

And it’s the wonderful extras, such as the neck warmer fitted into the heated seats, that allow you to drive roof-down all year round. (The leather quilted seats can also massage you and be cooled in summer.)

Should you tire of the engine sound, there is a music and entertainment system that’s like having front-row seats at the Royal Albert Hall.

I also love the understated elegance of the GT Speed — the sculpted bodywork that ripples like the finely tuned muscles of an athlete.

The classic Bentley grille is finished in a subtle dark tint, while the twin LED headlights sparkle like jewellery and the 21in alloys look like a modern chariot’s wheels.

It’s all nicely finished off by an XL-sized double exhaust and a rear diffuser that, like the rest of the GT Speed, hints at something extra special.

Which is exactly what it is — a showpiece of British craftsmanship and engineering excellence for lucky owners with the need for speed.