Bentley. Say the name and automotive enthusiasts swoon as images of "to the manor born," swanky resorts, lifestyles of the rich and famous and fabulous homes come to mind.

Of course, there's also the company's remarkable racing heritage.

So are these cars all that they are cracked up to be? Yes, as I learned during my week driving the 2007 Bentley Continental GTC convertible and the 2007 Bentley Flying Spur Sedan.

That's not to say Bentleys are perfect. They've got the heaviest doors I've ever used. Steering is pretty heavy, too. Rear seat room is limited. Ergonomics are questionable. The paddle shifters are so long that they can get in the way of the turn signal. The audio and climate control systems are maddeningly complex. These cars can be a handful to park, too.

And gas mileage? We're talking 10 or 11 miles per gallon. The engines in the test cars were 552-horsepower 12 cylinders that propel you to 60 mph in the Flying Spur in 4.9 seconds. It will take 4.8 seconds in the GTC.

Still, there's almost nothing like the Bentley in the automotive world. Sure, there's Rolls-Royce. But even with its newest look, Rolls-Royce cars seem more stately, almost stolid. Bentleys are the choice for your flamboyant and devil-may-care side.

Acceleration in Bentleys can be described as silken thunder. Drive one and you'll never be happy with anything else in the luxury class.

Bentleys also are peerless in luxury and appointments. The Flying Spur Sedan, which had a base price of $169,990 and an "as tested" price of $194,185, had an interior you have to see to believe.

My tester had the Mulliner Driving Specification package. That means the seat headrests have large "Flying B" emblems intricately stitched upon their surfaces. The package comes with a choice of veneers, drilled alloy sport pedals, diamond quilted leather hides on seats and doors, a knurled (read rough-textured) chrome shift lever that's also trimmed in hide, along with other niceties. Your eyes are dazzled by the chrome on the dash, coming from the bezels around the gauges, the knobs on the air ducts and countless other items.

You get gorgeous wood drop-down picnic tables on the backs of the front seats and overhead lamps for reading -- such intricately carved glass pieces that they look like Baccarat crystal. And what would you do without the refrigerator built into the section between the two rear seats? Or the lambswool rugs that are matched to the carpets?

The Continental GTC, which lists for $189,900 -- the model I drove costs $202,895 -- is one gorgeous automobile in its own right. The wheels and tires are huge, chrome laden and guaranteed to catch the eye. The cypress paint was deep, lustrous and utterly arresting.

Still, the Continental GTC looks much smaller than expected -- given that most Bentleys are more like the Arnage, an elegant behemoth of an automobile.

Bottom line: Don't get these cars if you don't like attention. They are rolling, glitzy, stupendous billboards for wealth, opulence and all the material splendor that the world can offer.