Able to drive you long distances and still leave you ready and fresh for the game, grand touring cars are great for sports enthusiasts who like to travel in comfort and style. And the top GT cars offer more practicality, greater luxury, and even better performance – perfect for carrying the golf clubs to your favourite fairway. 

What is a Grand Tourer? 

Abbreviated as GT, a grand tourer (or Gran Turismo in Italian) is a type of car designed for a specific purpose: to deliver comfortable long distance driving. While many GTs are similar to sports cars, the emphasis here is usually on luxury and practicality rather than track performance. As always, however, when it comes to classifications in the motoring world things are never as clean cut as the terminology we use, so there is some crossover, as you’ll see below. Typically, grand tourer cars often have: 

  • Excellent performance power 
  • A softer suspension setup for greater comfort 
  • Comfortable cabins  
  • A good level of practicality 
  • A two-door coupe design or a 2+2 seating setup 
  • A front mounted engine 
  • Rear wheel drive 
  • A stylish exterior and interior 

Top 10 Best GTS for Sports Enthusiasts 

When it comes to long distance driving, there is no better car type than a grand tourer. In a GT, you get to travel in true luxury and refinement for the ultimate relaxing journey before a big game or a sporting event – perfect for calming any pre-match nervesPlease, read on to find out our top 10 best GTs for sports enthusiasts.  

1. BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT

With refined styling and very high levels of luxury throughout, the Bentley Continental GT is a dignified and sophisticated grand tourer. Air suspension provides a smooth and quiet ride experience, ironing out the bumps in the road, whilst its incredible performance offers a lot of power when you need or want it. On the inside, the cabin is very well insulated and finished in the finest materials (lined with leather and wood) for a truly opulent feel. The Continental GT is a leader in comfort too, which is perfect for long journeys, as it’ll eat those high miles like nothing and still prove truly relaxing. Furthermore, it has a decent-sized boot for carrying sport equipment or a couple of large cases for overnight travel when making your way to an event. 

Best Features

  • Very luxurious 
  • Incredible performance 
  • First-rate cabin 

Prices from £17,000 

2. MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a leader when it comes to luxury, offering a highly comfortable ride experience that is supremely comfortable and incredibly quiet. In fact, the S-Class gives luxury behemoths, like the Rolls-Royce Phantom, a run for their money in the refinement department and at a fraction of the cost at that. As you might guess, the S-Class is the ultimate Mercedes and then some. Inside, the cabin is simply outstanding and finished to a stunningly high-level, it’s packed with cutting-edge technology, and it comes with a wealth of semi-autonomous driving aids and assists to provide one of the finest ride experiences. It’s a fantastic long-distance cruiser too and it has a spacious boot, which is perfect for the golf clubs. 

Best Features

  • Fantastic long-distance cruiser 
  • Supremely comfortable cabin 
  • Cutting-edge technology 

 Prices from £1,250 

3. PORSCHE PANAMERA

The four-door Porsche Panamera might not be the most luxurious grand tourer, but it is one of the most complete, offering an all-round package. As you’d want from a Porsche, it has plenty of performance power too: it’s fast, it has expert handling, and it offers a brilliant driving experience. In fact, when it comes to GTs with a driver’s focus and a sporty-edge, we’d put the Panamera at the top, it’s that good. It also provides a smooth and quiet ride for very comfortable long journeys aided by a well laid out cabin that is suitably plush. For sports enthusiasts who need a little more space, or for those wanting five seats instead of four, we recommend the Sport Turismo variant, with its added practicality and a larger boot. 

Best Features

  • Brilliant driving experience 
  • Expert handling 
  • All-round GT package 

Prices start from £18,000 

4. ASTON MARTIN DB11

Not the most practical or the most luxurious grand touring car on the market, the Aston Martin DB11 is still one of the best GTs. And for sports enthusiasts who want to make a statement, well, there are few as effective as a DB11. The car is instantly recognisable and incredibly iconic. It’s a gorgeous vehicle, arguably, the best looking car on this list, which is a big statement considering the competition. It also blurs the lines between a GT and a sports car with its high-performance and agile handling. And the DB11 is all the better for it, providing a comfortable ride experience on long journeys and lots of fun on those country lanes. Most of all, the DB11 is a car that makes you feel special, more than anything else. Whether you win or lose in your sporting endeavours, driving home in an Aston Martin DB11 will sweeten the deal. 

Best Features

  • Class-leading and iconic looks 
  • High performance and agile 
  • Comfortable and fun to drive 

Prices from £93,000 

5. AUDI A7

With strong build quality, the Audi A7 Sportback is an executive saloon that is a refined grand tourer with a smooth driving experience. It also offers excellent practicality with a large boot that has a wide opening, which is ideal for carting lots of sports gear. Additionally, the interior is spacious and supremely comfortable. Furthermore, when it comes to being on the road, the A7 doubles down on the comfort, providing a high level of refinement for those long distance trips. It might not be as fun to drive as some rivals, but then again those rivals aren’t as relaxing as the A7. So it comes down to driver preference or what you’re looking for in a GT, whether something a bit sportier or something more laidback and dignified, if the latter, then consider the Audi A7 a front runner on this list.  

Best Features

  • Smooth and comfortable 
  • Spacious and practical 
  • Strong build quality 

Prices from  £8,300 

6. JAGUAR XJ

The stylish Jaguar XJ is a leading luxury saloon and a fantastic grand tourer with a firm focus on the driver’s experience. It has a very comfortable cabin and effortless performance, with precise steering and natural agility. Altogether, it is one of the best cars in its class in terms of driveability, whether for short trips or long journeys. Inside, the striking interior is spacious and characterful, with a sense of style all of its own. It also has a huge boot for carrying golf equipment. Although there are other cars on this list that are more luxurious, the XJ offers that Jaguar appeal, which is something a little bit different and entirely better for it, focusing more on the needs of the driver and their enjoyment.  

Best Features

  • Excellent to drive 
  • Precise steering 
  • Stylish looks 

Prices from £400 

7. KIA STINGER

Some may be surprised to see a Kia on this list, yet the Stinger is way more upmarket than the company’s mainstream vehicles. The car certainly goes that extra mile in terms of luxury, sportiness, and that premium feel. It’s comfortable, responsive, and generously equipped. It’s also good to drive and considerably cheaper than many of the cars in its class. And when it comes to those long journeys, the Stinger is a fine grand tourer, with a refined cabin and a smooth ride. Whilst it might not compete with rivals on the same level in terms of overall quality, particularly with the interior materials, it does hold its own ground very well, especially considering its affordable starting price compared to those same rivals. 

Best Features

  • Comfortable and responsive 
  • Good to drive 
  • Generously equipped 

 Prices from £21,000 

8. BMW 8 SERIES

Available as a coupe and a convertible, the 8 Series is also offered as a luxury four-door GT, the Gran Coupe, which is ideal for sports enthusiasts with its extra practicality. It offers an enjoyable and refined driving experience, with poly-adjustable seats and a comfortable cabin laced with soft leather. It can be enjoyed with a wide variety of driver assist technology for easier and safer journeys and it has a large boot that can be extended further with the rear seats folded down. In short, it’s an all-round great BMW. However, there’s not much that sets it apart from others in the German marque’s range or, more importantly, against its rivals, which offer that little bit more in terms of comfort, luxury, and the GT driving experience. 

Best Features

  • Enjoyable to drive 
  • Comfortable and refined 
  • Good performance 

 Prices from £7,000 

9. LEXUS LC

With incredibly beautiful looks and a futuristic design, the Lexus LC is the company’s range topping coupe. Inside, the car’s keen sense of styling continues, with a very luxurious cabin laced with high-quality leather. It doesn’t quite match the elegance of the exterior, but it does capture the grand touring feel quite nicely. It’s also laden with lots of technology. When it comes to driving, the Lexus LC offers a nice balance between comfort and agility. As a grand tourer, on the other hand, it lacks the smoothness found in rivals, as well as the practicality with a smaller boot than average. However, the Lexus LC has a sportier feel to it with precise handling and an excitable ride.  

Best Features

  • Incredibly stylish 
  • Luxurious cabin 
  • Sporty driver’s experience 

 Prices from £600 

10. MASERATI GRANTURISMO

Another car with superb looks that warrant your attention, regardless of how it drives, is the stylish Maserati GranTurismo. But it’s not just a car to look at. It also delivers a fine grand tourer performance with a very comfortable ride, agile handling, and charismatic performance. Inside, the interior has a plush finish layered in lots of leather and it has plenty of leg and headroom too. In fact, when it comes to cabin space, the GranTurismo is surprisingly a class leader, proving comfortable for two adults in the rear seats – great for enjoying sports activities with a couple of friends. Although it must be noted the seats don’t grip you or support you as much as you’d expect from a top GT. This problem can be rectified, however, with the GranTurismo Sport. Overall, it’s a fabulous GT. 

Best Features

  • Superb looks
  • Very comfortable 
  • Charismatic performance 

 Prices start from £19,000 

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