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Andreas Wüest

Bentley Brooklands

Andy Wüest has a distinctive style. Call it cool if you will, even if looking this effortless must take some effort. It's certainly unconventional. His taste in cars runs well outside conventional tramlines too. "I like to go under the radar, or completely over the top."

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Enthusiasm

Over the top..

A Bentley that cloaks its power

Timeless

In the latter category he has a flamboyant 1962 Detroit land yacht, a Chrysler Newport. And a road rally Chevy Camaro. At different times he's owned several Lamborghini LM002s, the 1980s ultra-chunky V12 off-roader – one of them was later owned by Beyoncé.

He also keeps a purple Porsche 911 GT3 RS at the Nürburgring, because fast lapping is its particular job and a close friend has a matching one, but orange, so when they duel it's about the driver not the car.

As for going under the radar, for a time he ran about locally in a little BMW i3 electric car. "It was one of my favourite daily drivers." For a commute, he qualifies, admitting it's a narrow use case.

For other radar dodging times, Andy adores his 2010 Bentley Brooklands. It's one of the most generous ultra-luxury coupés ever made. His is the final left-hand drive example made.

Contrasting the subtle but rich tungsten exterior, everything is burgundy inside – even the instrument faces. "Usually people have too many colours and materials. Or a black interior with carbonfibre? I'm like, 'no way'.

"It's a full four seater. Beautiful. Timeless." So it's just the car for his home in Switzerland, where even this lavishly tattooed shaven-headed chain-smoking giant sometimes feels like lowering his profile. "I'd say 99.8 percent of people have no idea of this car's value, or how old it is. In Switzerland people can be judgey. It's not a car country."

The Brooklands's interior, like the exterior, is beautifully crafted and swerves ephemeral fashion. Andy points out that the biggest giveaway to any car's age is its screens and electronic displays.

The Brooklands veils them. It has a superb hi-fi, but its dot-matrix display snuggles behind a hinged veneer panel. The satnav motors up from behind a leather-trimmed door. It might have been leading edge back in 2010, but these days it stays down. Andy is impishly proud of the fact he's never bothered to locate its 'on' button.

"In this car, you can go to any occasion. See your mum, go to a wedding, go on a boys' trip."

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Driven

A car for all reasons

Elevation

Power

Today's journey is about the joys of his homeland. Zurich's centre is quiet on a wet autumn morning, so we rapidly dispatch the suburbs and head to the Ace Cafe near Lucerne, site of regular car and bike meets, and general hangout for recreationally outlaw-themed folk.

After a chat and lunch, the awesomely three-dimensional Switzerland beckons: mountains, forests and lakes.

The Brooklands is a car that moves with grace, truly heir to Bentley's DNA, and Andy doesn't pretend it's built for a racetrack or endless tight hairpins. But today's route, up to the Susten Pass's 2224 metre summit, suits it just fine.

"Up in the mountains on long corners of the pass, it's a big big joy. I drop all four windows because it's pillarless. You get a great view of the mountains and the smells and sounds of nature. You're enjoying the landscape. It disconnects you from stress."

The Brooklands had a brief production span, from mid 2008 to early 2010, and represents the final model of the Arnage family. Bentley's stalwart 6.75-litre twin-turbo V8 was uprated to 537PS, and torque to a tidal 774lb ft. Which urged this 2750kg leviathan from rest to 60mph in 5.0 seconds.

Andy loves the feeling of irresistible force meeting ostensibly immovable object. "This car never feels stressed. It doesn't mind if you press the accelerator. It's like being in an elevator going up several floors. You have to brace yourself when it gets moving."

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Perspective

Looking forward

Looking back

Andy perceives the links between the Brooklands and the modern Bentley Continental family – their aristocratic discretion, their imperial powertrains, their solidity, their craft.

He also approves of the way their three-sided rotating display can showcase the touchscreen when needed, otherwise exquisite dials, or an additional tract of gorgeous interior veneer.

We mention the mechanism is known around the factory as the Toblerone. He grins at this recognition of one of his nation's best-loved exports.

The Brooklands faces both directions along the golden thread of Bentley's history. Andy follows it back to the origins. "In this car you feel the heritage, feel the weight, the torque, the materials. To have kept those over a century is truly unique."

There's something personal too. "I like the story of the Bentley Boys. I have a group of friends who are a bit rock'n'roll. That's the connection with the Bentley Boys – the cars, the driving, the lifestyle, the travelling. Even if the rules now are stricter than back then, so I don't have as many options.

"But I have a pretty good life. My goal is always to do stuff I want to do and not do stuff I don't want to do. People say I didn't sign up for the system."