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Bentley celebrates Le Mans’ centenary with unique Continental GT
Only 48 Continental GT Le Mans Collections will be made, each with an actual piece of the Le Mans winning EXP Speed 8's engine inside the cabin.
Verdant Green paint option from the 2003 winning EXP Speed 8 has been combined with the Blackline and carbon fibre exterior packs. Image: Bentley
With 2023 marking not only 100 years of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but also a decade since its last victory in the sportscar showpiece, Bentley has celebrated the occasion by unveiling a bespoke edition of the Continental GT only 48 buyers globally will be privy to.
Called the Le Mans Collection, the bespoke changes are mostly cosmetic and carried out by in-house coachbuilder, Mulliner, with no adaptions having taken place underneath the bonnet.
The role of #7
Externally therefore, the Continental GT Le Mans Collection comes decked-out in the same Verdant Green paint scheme as the EXP Speed 8 prototype that took Guy Smith, Tom Kristensen and Rinaldo Capello to the top step of the Le Mans podium in 2003, in what was a Bentley 1-2 as the second car of Johnny Herbert, Mark Blundell and David Brabham took the runners-up spot.
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Contrasting the paint option is the otherwise optional Blackline exterior pack, a so-called Moonbeam dual racing stripe on the roof and bonnet, black carbon fibre elements, 24h badges on the front wings and a Beluga Black finish for the mirror caps, bootlid spoiler, lower section of the front bumper, diffuser and on the 22-inch alloy wheels.
Fitted with carbon ceramic brakes as standard, the final unique exterior touch involves the white painted #7 on the grille that pays homage not only the number worn by the winning EXP Speed 8, but also its presence on the Bentleys that won Le Mans five times between 1924 and 1930.
EXP 8 Speed within
Compared to the exterior, Mulliner has been more discreet with the Le Mans Collection’s interior, though the adaptions are still prominent.
Taking centre stage are pinstripe carbon fibre and piano-key black trim, Beluga leather, a Dinimica-trimmed steering wheel with what Bentley calls Hotspur stitching, plus 12 o’clock marking, Dinamica fabric performance seats with Hotspur stitch work and chrome inserts separating the mentioned carbon fibre and piano-key black.
Completing the interior are Hotspur seatbelts, Speed 8 branded door sills with a six-wreath monogram in recognition of Bentley’s six victories, a high gloss carbon inlay also with six-wreaths on the dashboard and within the Rotating Display, three unique gauges with the central displaying a section of the actual engine valve found in the winning EXP Speed 8’s V8 engine.
Speed power
As mentioned, Bentley resisted the urge to give the Continental GT Le Mans Collection more power meaning that besides the standard fitting of the 48-volt Bentley Dynamic Ride system and electronic limited slip differential, the 6.0 TSI W12 lifted from the Continental GT Speed produces an unchanged 485kW/900Nm.
An eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox sends the amount of twist to all four wheels, with Bentley claiming a top speed of 335 km/h and 0-100 km/h in 3.6 seconds.
Fixed-head or drop-top
Set to go on-sale later this year despite Bentley not alluding to when, the Continental GT Le Mans Collection will be offered as either a coupe or as the drop-top Continental GTC, which doesn’t get the Moonbeam stripes on the roof as a result of the canvas top.
No pricing details were announced, with the same being true of South African market availability.
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