"It's getting crowded in here," was a common thought as we glided up the 101 freeway between Ventura and Santa Barbara in our 2006 Bentley Continental GT test car.

We weren't talking about the Continental GT's interior space, though if you're using the coupe's rear seats and your body weight is over 50 pounds this same sensation will likely come over you. No, our thoughts were directed at the $160,000 ultraluxury coupe segment — a segment that didn't even exist two years ago. Way back in 2004 there was no Aston Martin DB9, Bentley Continental GT or Mercedes-Benz CL65.

Is a 401K really necessary?
That's quite a population explosion in such a short time, especially for a segment that appeals to a relatively narrow band of the buying public. Look at it this way — there are still plenty of places in the U.S. where $160,000 equates to the price of a house. And while all three players are truly exceptional vehicles, when we picture ourselves raiding the retirement fund we consistently see the Bentley Continental GT as the source of our madness.

What is it about the Bentley that has us flirting with future financial disaster for the sake of instant gratification? That's a list we don't have the space to reprint here, but we'll hit a few of the highlights — "highlights" being an appropriate place to start, as the car's tranquil gauge cluster lighting is one of the many aspects we fawned over during our short time with the Continental GT. Everything from the engine start/stop button on the center console to the jewellike Breitling clock atop the center stack made us feel like royalty whenever we scanned the dashboard and soaked up that soothing white aura.

All dressed up with plenty of go
This same impression was imparted by the luscious seat leather, which in our test car was stitched in a diamond pattern on the seat faces as part of the $8,500 "Mulliner Sport Package." This could more accurately be called the "Bling Package," as it also included drilled alloy pedals, dark burr walnut wood dash inserts and a chrome-and-leather gearshift lever topped by an intricately textured metallic ring.

But perhaps the most bling-worthy feature in the Mulliner package are the 20-inch, two-piece alloy wheels that wear Yokohama Advan Sport 275/35-20s at each corner. Because the Continental GT borrows both its platform and its all-wheel-drive system from Audi's A8, it eschews the common GT practice of putting larger rubber under the rear wheelwells, not that we think 275/35-20s are in any way lacking sizewise.

Quite the contrary, this 5,300-pound luxury conveyance offers a startling level of performance — if the driver is so inclined. At our test facility it rocketed from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and cleared the quarter-mile in just under 13 seconds. It also stopped from 60 mph in a head-bobbing 113 feet and hustled through our 600-foot slalom at 65.3 mph.

Out on our favorite twisty roads it took only a brief moment of familiarization before we were tossing the car into tight sweepers and letting the all-wheel-drive system figure out the pesky details, such as when and where to apply the 6.0-liter W12's 552 horsepower — a task it accomplished with the grace and elegance you'd expect of anything wearing that stylized "B" on the front grille.

Long live the King of Bling
We first experienced the Continental GT two years ago on a one-day trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco. We were instantly smitten with the car's opulent interior, 479 pound-feet of torque (available at 1,600 rpm!) and sleek exterior shape. Despite only minor upgrades over the past 24 months (the Mulliner Sport Package being a big one), and despite an all-new DB9 from Aston Martin, the Bentley still offers a uniquely compelling package.

Beyond the Continental's all-wheel-drive factor is the 100-hp advantage it has over the DB9. The Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG has the Bentley beat by approximately 60 hp (and 225 lb-ft of max torque), and while it's faster in a straight line it can't touch the GT's ultrapremium demeanor or overall "gotta have" factor.

For neither the Mercedes nor the Aston has chrome-plated window switches, textured control dials with chrome rings, chrome push/pull climate controls or brushed aluminum dash vents. Even the exterior mirrors have a chrome bezel around them and the front seatbacks feature large, brushed aluminum release levers. If it wasn't so tastefully executed, the Continental GT's cabin could be the poster child for Pimp My Ride — obviously the effect the car's interior designers were going for.

Luxury still looms large
For luxury coupe buyers not interested in four-wheel drifts and 198-mph top-speed blasts, the Bentley is primed and ready to provide regal ride quality and serene high-speed touring. The self-leveling air suspension can be placed in one of four positions, with the softest setting ideal for relaxed highway travel. The double-pane side glass keeps out all but the slightest hint of wind noise and the climate control system, along with the heated seats, can deal with just about any temperature seen on the planet's surface. We're particularly fond of the GT's easy-to-master control system that comes directly from Audi's own MMI design. iDrive it ain't — thank God.

But while the Continental GT comes close to ultraluxury coupe perfection, it isn't perfect. Many would argue it doesn't look or sound as good as the DB9, and with a strange exhaust moan coming from beneath our test car at low rpm we wouldn't argue the latter. The six-speed automatic can be a bit hesitant when hitting the go pedal, though using the paddle shifters just ahead of the steering wheel solves that problem. We were also disappointed that after spending $167,000 we still couldn't listen to satellite radio. We've already mentioned the semifunctional rear seats, but if you've got a problem with that situation stop shopping luxury coupes right now.

A new trait for the segment — value
If, however, you're looking for the best combination of performance, functionality and palatial luxury available in the sub-$200,000 coupe category you landed on the right Web page. Volkswagen has successfully fused the unabashed spirit of the Bentley Boys with the finely crafted workmanship and engineering prowess seen in every modern Audi.