Bentley announced Monday that its redesigned Continental GT and GT Convertible will soon be available with a twin-turbo V-8 rather in addition to the brand's quintessential W-12 engine.

Freshly redesigned, the third generation of Continental GT was launched in 2018 with only a 6.0-liter twin-turbo W-12 as an engine option, though in keeping with past Continental GTs, the V-8 isn't far behind in terms of performance. Like the last GT's V-8, this 4.0-liter unit sports twin turbochargers in a "hot V" configuration for tight packaging and minimal lag. It's an engine similar to the one used in the Lamborghini Urus, another ultra-premium model built under the vast umbrella of Volkswagen-owned companies.

At full boost, these turbochargers allow the Continental GT V-8 to lay down 542 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque through the car's all-wheel-drive system. Zero to 60 is reached in a mere 3.9 seconds for coupes, or 4.0 seconds for convertibles, which is approximately 0.25 seconds slower than the W-12 model that our very own Will Sabel Courtney recently tested. Bentley says both are capable of storming all the way up to 198 mph—given you have a continental amount of road to safely reach that speed.

Like any other road car, the Continental GT V-8 can calm down and serve as a comfortable cruiser when not asked to travel at full tilt. The V-8 itself is equipped with cylinder deactivation, and programmed to run stop-start aggressively at low speeds, coasting the car to save fuel in traffic.

Passing time in said traffic can be done with the GT's ten-speaker, 650-watt premium audio system while toying with the supple leather 20-way adjustable seats. These pair with a continuously self-adjusting damping system and optional air suspension to make the GT V-8 as comfortable on every part of the body (except tired eyes, as The Drive's Mike Guy found) as its W-12 contemporary.

Not everyone wants to insulate themselves from the outside world in sumptuous luxury, of course, which is where the convertible GT V-8 comes in. Its automatically folding roof can pop up or shrink away in 19 seconds at speeds up to 30 mph, and being ever so British—where the GT is designed and built—the convertible roof can be ordered in tweed.

Unfortunately for Britain itself, it won't be the first country in which the Continental GT V-8 rolls, with its ten choices of wheels, ranging from 20 to 22 inches, as Bentley has selected the United States as the GT V-8's first destination. Deliveries will begin in the third quarter of this year, and the rest of the world in the first quarter of 2020. Pricing has yet to be announced but is expected to land somewhere north of $200,000.

Bentley Mulliner has added to its new Collections portfolio and created the new luxury pinnacle of the Continental GT family with the new Continental GT Mulliner coupé. This sibling of the GT Mulliner Convertible celebrates modern craftsmanship and offers the client even wider possibilities to commission a unique Bentley to their individual specification. The Bentley Continental GT Mulliner coupé made its global debut at 2020 Salon Privé.

A suite of exclusive exterior design features separate the Bentley Continental GT Mulliner from the rest of the family. At the front, the new 'Double Diamond' matrix grille defines the new Mulliner signature style, complemented by matching front fender vents echoing the same silver and black design and with chromed Mulliner branding. Approaching and opening either doors reveals the other Mulliner design features - Satin Silver mirror caps with Mulliner Welcome Lamps beneath, and illuminated outer door sills with Mulliner text.

The car sits on new and unique 22" Mulliner wheels, with a bespoke design of elegant beauty in a painted and polished finish. The centre badge of each wheel is self-levelling, keeping the iconic Bentley 'B' upright at all times.

The cabin of the Bentley Continental GT Mulliner is one defined by luxury, and showcases a level of choice and customisation that only Mulliner can provide. A unique colour split is exclusive to the car, with a new combination of primary and secondary hide joined by a third colour through a flowing design line.

Eight different three-colour combinations are proposed by Mulliner, using Bentley's palette of hides and threads to create striking yet elegant contrast throughout the cabin.

The Mulliner Driving Specification is fitted as standard, bringing the "Diamond in Diamond" quilting to the seats, doors trims and rear quarter panels, now with both contrast and accent stitching running through the diamonds design.

It takes almost 400,000 stitches to deliver this quilting across the cabin of the car, with each diamond containing exactly 712 individual stitches - each one precisely aligned to point to the centre of the diamond it creates. Developing the embroidery process to deliver this process alone took 18 months.

The seats themselves are finished with embroidered Mulliner logos. The floor mats are edged with micro-piping to match the rest of the colour theme of the interior and chrome Bentley 'B' retention caps are an example of the fine details that separate the Continental GT Mulliner.

The roof of the cabin is trimmed along its full length with indented hide, or smooth hide to match the seat backs if the fixed glass roof is selected.

The centre console is dressed in a new diamond milled technical finish that uses precision machining to form a perfect pattern of facets, flanked either side by Grand Black walnut veneer with chrome overlays. A unique Breitling clock sits in the centre of the console, while the passenger side fascia is finished with a silhouette of the car's exterior profile and the Mulliner logo. The veneer flows into the doors, where it is completed by a discreet Bentley 'B' motif.

For the driver, the brushed-metal finish of the Breitling clock is carried through from the physical world to the digital, with a unique design to the main gauges of the LED main instruments cluster where careful skeuomorphic design and the application of digital textures makes the virtual dials look like real metal.

Further personalisation is available through a range of 88 contemporary, colourised veneer finishes that can be matched to the interior or exterior of the car. Burr walnut veneer is hand sanded and polished to produce a perfectly smooth finish before painting to match the colour of the customer's choice. Once dry, the veneer is polished to achieve a mirror-like finish.

Customers of the Bentley Continental GT Mulliner can choose either Bentley's iconic 6.0-litre W12 powertrain delivering 635 PS (626 bhp), or its sublime 4.0-litre V8 offering 550 PS (542 bhp), for a level of performance to juxtapose the car's handcrafted luxury.

Bentley's pioneering 48V electric active anti-roll technology - Bentley Dynamic Ride - is fitted as standard, delivering incredible body control and stability during cornering and a relaxed, cossetting ride when cruising.

Orders for both coupe and convertible versions of the Bentley Continental GT Mulliner will be taken from October 2020, with first deliveries beginning in early 2021. Customers of the Continental GT Mulliner will receive the keys to their car in a bespoke, Mulliner-branded and handcrafted presentation box containing individual leather pouches matching the three-colour interior configuration of their car.

Bentley Mulliner

Bentley Mulliner is renowned throughout the automotive world for crafting some of the most individual Bentleys ever created. Bentley Mulliner is the birthplace of coachbuilding - the oldest automotive coachbuilder in the world. Bentley Mulliner operates three distinct divisions, each with its own artisanal specialism:

Bentley Mulliner Coachbuilt provides customers with the ability to work closely with a team of specialist designers to create or enhance their vehicle with a unique body styles, different materials and specially curated options. The Bentley Mulliner Bacalar will be the first - but other new bespoke Bentleys will follow as part of the portfolio.

The Bentley Mulliner Classic offering was introduced last year with the announcement that Bentley's 1929 Team Blower is to be reborn with a new build of 12 supercharged 4½-litre examples of the iconic car. These models, each individually handcrafted by a team of specialists from Bentley Mulliner, will form the world's first pre-war race car continuation series. This subdivision of Mulliner also completed an immaculate restoration of the 1939 Bentley Corniche last year.

The third division of expertise - Bentley Mulliner Collections - will continue to offer customers luxury-focused derivatives of the core Bentley range, such as the new Continental GT Mulliner, as well as the opportunity to personalise their new Bentley. An expansive number of options is available across the full line-up of current production cars - from unique colour-matched paint, hide and thread combinations, to bespoke feature content.

The experienced team, supported by in-house engineers and designers at Crewe, prides itself on a long history of fulfilling the desires and demands of Bentley's most discerning customers worldwide.

Bentley Motors released details of the new Continental GT Speed - the most dynamic road car in Bentley's 101 year history and ultimate performance-focused interpretation of the world's benchmark luxury Grand Tourer.

Designed, engineered, developed and handcrafted in Bentley's carbon neutral luxury automotive factory, this new third-generation model builds on a long tradition of Speed variants. Originally introduced with the highly-acclaimed, first generation Continental GT Speed in 2007 - itself inspired by the 3-Litre Speed models of the 1920s. The latest GT Speed continues the bloodline by representing the ultimate combination of luxury and performance in a Grand Touring package.

Dr. Matthias Rabe, Member of the Board for Engineering at Bentley Motors, comments: "The new Continental GT Speed represents the very pinnacle of performance grand touring. This new model is the most powerful expression of Continental GT values, exciting and dynamic, with unique Speed detailing to enhance the ownership experience and offering customers more control over the character of the car. The world's most luxurious Grand Tourer is now truly more capable than ever before, with a new sportier edge which will appeal to performance-focused drivers. The Speed is the latest chapter in the Continental GT story, helping Bentley customers to create their own extraordinary journeys."

Bentley Mulliner has added to its new and expanding Collections portfolio with an expertly handcrafted limited edition for the Japanese market - the Bentley Continental GT V8 Equinox Edition. Based around a monochrome colour theme of black, silver and white, the Equinox theme is one that brings power and grace through simplicity. Strictly limited to just ten examples, the Equinox Edition cars are destined for homes across Japan including the cities of Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya, Hiroshima and Yokohama.

The exterior of the car has a powerful presence thanks to the contrasting monotone styling that accentuates the dynamic and powerful look of the Continental GT. The choice of powerful black Onyx or icy cool Glacier White exterior paint highlights the sculpted body and sweeping power line that guides the eye along the stunning profile to the muscular rear haunch and down to the striking wheels below.

The aerodynamic performance of the Continental GT is complemented by the Styling Specification to the exterior. Made from specially commissioned, high gloss, black carbon-fibre, the Styling Specification consists of a front splitter, rear diffuser, boot lip spoiler and side sills branded with metal Bentley wings inlays.

To further enhance the exquisite lines and authoritative appearance of the Continental GT, Bentley Mulliner has applied a Moonbeam (a rich silver) contrast accent pinstripe to the edge of the carbon fibre pieces. The accent line is painted by hand and takes five days per car to apply. In addition the 22" Mulliner Driving Specification wheel is uniquely finished in dark metallic Tungsten paint.

Exacting Standards and Extraordinary Craftsmanship

The monochrome colour theme continues into the cabin of the Bentley Continental GT V8 Equinox Edition. The exquisite blend of traditional and contemporary features create a luxurious and sporting feel to the interior that is crafted with the highest attention to detail.

Bentley Mulliner signature craftsmanship is apparent throughout, showcasing painstaking attention to detail. Secondary silver accent hide to the headrest and seat edge panels elegantly complements the Beluga main hide. Contrast stitching in silver thread to the seats and steering wheel is mirrored in dual finish veneers featuring Piano Moonbeam over Grand Black. The painted veneer is sprayed by hand, with care taken to ensure that the amount of light reflected at different angles from the metallic paint surfaces are consistent panel to panel across the car set. The painted veneer of the passenger fascia is finished with an elegant Mulliner logo inlay.

The interior features have the power to delight and surprise - from mood lighting and illuminated sill plates, to refined silver accent stitches on the diamond quilted seats and deep pile Mulliner floor mats. Unique thread has been designed to be extremely durable and uses special dyes to maintain its colour to last for the lifespan of the vehicle. The thread is used for the contrast stitching elements and the embroidered Bentley wings logo on each headrest, each one being comprised of 4,500 stitches.

Uncompromised Performance and Luxury

Under the bonnet of the Continental GT V8 Equinox Editions is Bentley's renowned twin-turbo V8 engine. The new-generation 4.0-litre, 32-valve V8 develops 542 bhp (550 PS) and 568 lb.ft (770 Nm) of torque. It also features dual twin-scroll turbochargers located inside the 'V' of the engine, together resulting in a top speed of 198 mph (318 km/h) and 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds (0-100 km/h in 4.0 seconds).

Spirited performance is complemented by refined efficiency, stemming partly from the ability of the engine to de-activate four of its eight cylinders in suitable conditions, without compromising the drive. The seamless change happens in just 20 milliseconds and is imperceptible to customers. Stop-Start technology, which operates at 'near-to-stop' speeds, is also available.

The uncompromising attention to detail throughout the Bentley Continental GT V8 Equinox Edition creates a compelling statement of performance, luxury and automotive beauty that makes for exhilarating and extraordinary journeys.

Bentley Motors released details of the new Continental GT Speed - the most dynamic road car in Bentley's 101 year history and ultimate performance-focused interpretation of the world's benchmark luxury Grand Tourer.

Designed, engineered, developed and handcrafted in Bentley's carbon neutral luxury automotive factory, this new third-generation model builds on a long tradition of Speed variants. Originally introduced with the highly-acclaimed, first generation Continental GT Speed in 2007 - itself inspired by the 3-Litre Speed models of the 1920s. The latest GT Speed continues the bloodline by representing the ultimate combination of luxury and performance in a Grand Touring package.

Dr. Matthias Rabe, Member of the Board for Engineering at Bentley Motors, comments: "The new Continental GT Speed represents the very pinnacle of performance grand touring. This new model is the most powerful expression of Continental GT values, exciting and dynamic, with unique Speed detailing to enhance the ownership experience and offering customers more control over the character of the car. The world's most luxurious Grand Tourer is now truly more capable than ever before, with a new sportier edge which will appeal to performance-focused drivers. The Speed is the latest chapter in the Continental GT story, helping Bentley customers to create their own extraordinary journeys."

Bentley's refreshed model portfolio is being crowned with a new ultimate version of the Continental GT Mulliner to sit at the pinnacle of the Continental family and two-door grand tourers. With enhancements to both its W12 engine and its advanced chassis shared with the GT Speed, the GT Mulliner W12 becomes the most powerful, fastest, most dynamic and most luxurious Continental GT yet created.

The new GT Mulliner W12 takes the best of all worlds to create the ultimate Continental GT combining the performance and dynamism of the Speed, the comfort of the recently-announced Azure and the magic touch and artistic flair of Mulliner handcraftsmanship. Its W12 TFSI engine, handcrafted at Bentley's carbon neutral factory in Crewe, delivers 659 PS (650 bhp) resulting in a top speed of 208 mph (335 km/h) and 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.6 seconds). Electronic All-Wheel Steering enhances the dynamic nature of the Continental GT Mulliner W12 in each of the driving modes. The Mulliner-unique 22" wheel design features self-levelling badges which ensure the Bentley 'B' remains vertical at all times.

The cabin of the Continental GT Mulliner W12 is one defined by luxury, and showcases a level of choice and customisation that only Mulliner can provide. A unique colour split is exclusive to the car, with a new combination of primary and secondary hide joined by a third colour through a flowing design line. Eight different three-colour combinations are proposed by Mulliner, using Bentley's palette of hides and threads to create striking yet elegant contrast throughout the cabin. A choice of 88 Piano wood veneers encourage further personalisation. "Diamond in Diamond" quilting to the seats, door trims and rear quarter panels is made up of almost 400,000 stitches with each diamond containing exactly 712 individual stitches. Naturally these are available in a spectrum of coloured threads, too.

To the outside, a suite of exclusive exterior design features separate the Continental GT Mulliner from the rest of the family. At the front, the new 'Double Diamond' matrix grille defines the new Mulliner signature style, complemented by matching front fender vents echoing the same silver and black design and with Mulliner branding. All of these features are available either with a bright chrome or with the more contemporary gloss black appeal of Mulliner Blackline Specification. Approaching and opening either door reveals the other Mulliner design features - mirror caps in either satin silver or black with Mulliner Welcome Lamps beneath, and illuminated outer door sills with Mulliner text.

The GT family now spans a range of models each with a different emphasis, to make customer choice easier. The Azure range is for those prioritising wellbeing and on-board comfort, while those customers wishing to concentrate on driving pleasure can specify the new V8-powered GT S. Going one step further, the W12-powered Speed is the pure drivers car, delivering exceptional dynamic performance and no expense to grand touring ability. Above all these sits the Mulliner.

The new GT Mulliner W12 will be on display at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it will take to the hill along with three members of the new S range. Joining these modern road-going products on the hillclimb will be the first car in Bentley's Blower Continuation Series, Blower Car Zero.

Physics-Bending Performance

The Bentley Continental GT Mulliner W12 is equipped with an uprated version of Bentley's renowned 6.0-litre W12 TSI engine, delivering 659 PS (650 bhp) - a 4 per cent increase of 24 PS over the standard W12 model - whilst maintaining an extraordinary 900 Nm (664 lb.ft) of torque.

With exceptional handling, this results in a top speed of 208 mph (335 km/h) and 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.6 seconds), a reduction of 0.1 seconds. A combination of four chassis technologies give the new Mulliner model a level of agility, performance and ride quality that has been stretched to new levels.

Bentley Dynamic Ride and three-chamber active air suspension with adaptive damping play a key role in the balance of the car and provide a formidable foundation to build upon. The optional and newly-developed Carbon Ceramic Brakes, Variable Electronic Stability Control, All Wheel Steering, and an Electronic Limited Slip Differential bolster the agility and performance even further.

Combining the new systems delivers Bentley's philosophy that a vehicle should feel progressive and secure, yet still be dynamic. To achieve this philosophy in BENTLEY and COMFORT mode, overall grip is balanced between the front and rear wheels, while in SPORT this mode has been calibrated with a more rear-biased torque-split in all driving scenarios.

The Best of Both Worlds

Whether travelling across continents or over mountain passes, Bentley's three-chamber active air suspension with adaptive damping, and Bentley Dynamic Ride provide control and comfort in abundance. The 48V active anti-roll control system was originally pioneered on the Bentayga and third-generation Continental GT and now tuned even further with the knowledge and learning since the systems introduction.

This innovative system features powerful electric motors within each anti-roll bar to resist body roll. In their firmest setting, the motors can deliver 1300 Nm in 0.3 seconds to counteract cornering forces and keep the body level.

Dynamic Ability

The Electronic All-Wheel Steering enhances the dynamic nature of the Continental GT Mulliner W12 in each of the driving modes. This is even more apparent in SPORT mode, as the steering combines with Bentley Dynamic Ride and the electronic limited slip differential for a level of agility unlike any other Bentley road car, utilising up to 4° of steering lock on the rear wheels.

At low and medium speeds, the GT Mulliner's rear wheels are steered in the opposite direction to the front wheels to aid a rapid change of direction, noticeably increasing the feeling of nimbleness. The steering feels sharper and with a quicker ratio, and a commensurate increase in steering feel provides even more driver confidence. At high speeds, the rear wheels steer in the same direction as the front, to improve stability.

The eLSD allows true active torque vectoring across the rear axle, which is then fine-tuned with torque-vectoring by brake systems. Together, these technologies improve turn-in and provide exception traction on corner exit - and, of course, allow the keen driver to induce slip angles and to balance the car on the throttle.

Unrivalled Luxury And Attention To Detail

The cabin of the Bentley Continental GT Mulliner is one defined by luxury, and showcases a level of choice and customisation that only Mulliner can provide. A unique colour split is exclusive to the car, with a new combination of primary and secondary hide joined by a third colour through a flowing design line.
Eight different three-colour combinations are proposed by Mulliner, using Bentley's palette of hides and threads to create striking yet elegant contrast throughout the cabin. A customer can, of course, choose their own set of colours or specify the cabin colours and materials from the full suite of Bentley hide colours, veneers and stitching.

The Mulliner Driving Specification is fitted as standard, bringing the "Diamond in Diamond" quilting to the seats, doors trims and rear quarter panels, now with both contrast and accent stitching running through the diamonds design.

It takes almost 400,000 stitches to deliver this quilting across the cabin of the car, with each diamond containing exactly 712 individual stitches - each one precisely aligned to point to the centre of the diamond it creates. Developing the embroidery process to deliver this process alone took 18 months.

The seats themselves are finished with embroidered Mulliner logos. The floor mats are edged with micro-piping to match the rest of the colour theme of the interior and chrome Bentley 'B' retention caps are an example of the fine details that separate the Continental GT Mulliner.

The roof of the cabin is trimmed along its full length with indented hide, or smooth hide to match the seat backs if the fixed glass roof is selected.

The centre console is dressed in a unique diamond milled technical finish that uses precision machining to form a perfect pattern of facets, flanked either side by Grand Black walnut veneer with chrome overlays. A unique Breitling clock sits in the centre of the console, while the passenger side fascia is finished with a silhouette of the car's exterior profile and the Mulliner logo. The veneer flows into the doors, where it is completed by a discreet Bentley 'B' motif.

For the driver, the brushed-metal finish of the Breitling clock is carried through from the physical world to the digital, with a unique design to the main gauges of the LED main instruments cluster where careful skeuomorphic design and the application of digital textures makes the virtual dials look like real metal.

The Bentley Continental GT Mulliner W12 truly is the ultimate combination of craftsmanship and performance. Available as both a coupe and a convertible, the car is the pinnacle definition of everything Bentley knows about making the best grand tourers in the world. For those wanting the luxury and comfort of a Mulliner model but with the character of a V8, the Continental GT Mulliner V8 remains available.

To mark 20 years since Bentley's sixth victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and 100 years since the first running of the legendary race, Bentley is creating a limited edition of Continental GT Coupés and Continental GTC's. Each will be powered by the Bentley W12 engine, the most successful 12-cylinder engine of the modern era. The Le Mans Collection includes unique exterior and interior details that echo the design of the Le Mans winning Speed 8 #7.

All Le Mans Collection models are specified with the three-way Bentley Rotating Display, offering a choice of touchscreen, dual veneer or analogue dials - but with a twist; In place of the standard central dial is a Vitrine displaying an engine valve from the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 of the 2003 Le Mans winning Bentley Speed 8. The engine was removed after the contest and preserved, and now 24 of the 32 valves from the engine have been bisected to create 48 artefacts for this exclusive collection of ultimate Grand Tourers.

In another thoughtful touch, the standard 12-hour analogue clock is replaced by a digital clock with a bespoke dial design - a 24 hour one, naturally.

Mulliner, Bentley's personal commissioning division, has taken inspiration from the dark green Speed 8 racing cars that swept all before them at Le Mans in 2003. From the Verdant green exterior to the sliver of Speed 8 engine displayed in the fascia, the Le Mans Collection is a heartfelt tribute to a long and glorious shared history between Bentley and the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Tribute to Speed 8 #7

Mulliner's designers closely studied the winning Speed 8 of 2003, surely one of the most beautiful racing cars ever to triumph at Le Mans. The limited number of Continental GT's and Continental GTC's in the Le Mans Collection are finished in Verdant green, with a Moonbeam racing stripe across the bonnet (and Coupé roof). The Blackline specification nods to the black and green livery of the Speed 8, while the carbon-fibre Styling specification body components are finished in black with a subtle pinstripe in Moonbeam. Beluga black is also chosen for the lower front bumper, wing mirror caps and rear 'horseshoe' area beneath the bootlid spoiler, while black 22-inch ten-spoke wheels shroud powerful carbon ceramic brakes and red brake calipers.

Meanwhile, the distinctive Bentley matrix grille (originally developed to protect the radiator on the unpaved Le Mans racetrack of the 1920s) features a painted #7 in Arctica white, combining the race-winning number of 2003 with the painted radiators of the Bentleys that won Le Mans five times between 1924 and 1930.

Bespoke details

The interiors of the Le Mans Collection Continental GT and Continental GTC are far more luxurious than those of the Bentley Speed 8s - but there's the same sense of sporting purpose. A bespoke 2003 wreath welcome lamp ushers you into a cockpit trimmed in Beluga hide. Performance-bred napped Dynamica fabric covers the seat faces, while the interior's monochrome colour scheme is relieved by contrast seat stitching and seatbelts in Hotspur. The steering wheel, trimmed in hide and Dynamica, also features Hotspur contrast stitching and six o'clock accent tab.

The dual-finish veneer on fascia and door waist rails is executed in Piano Black and high gloss carbon fibre, with a fine chrome pinstripe separating the two. Matching doors to fascia so the pinstripe flows seamlessly from one side to the other is a mark of the exceptional craftsmanship in every Bentley.

The Le Mans Collection Bentleys feature many bespoke details, beginning with the Speed 8 sill plates and six-wreath treadplates that greet occupants on entering the interior. The fascia displays the six-wreath emblem inlaid into high-gloss carbon fibre, marking each of the six outright victories recorded by Bentley at Le Mans between 1924 and 2003.

Race inspired performance

The Le Mans Collection Continental GT and GTC are equipped with Bentley's renowned 6.0-litre W12 TSI engine, delivering 659 PS (650 bhp) and an extraordinary 900 Nm (664 lb.ft) of torque.

With exceptional handling, this results in a top speed of 208 mph (335 km/h) and 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.6 seconds). A combination of four chassis technologies give the new limited edition a level of agility, performance and ride quality as expected of a car with this heritage.

Bentley Dynamic Ride and three-chamber active air suspension with adaptive damping play a key role in the balance of the car and provide a formidable foundation to build upon. The optional and newly-developed Carbon Ceramic Brakes, Variable Electronic Stability Control, All Wheel Steering, and an Electronic Limited Slip Differential bolster the agility and performance even further.

Bentley and Le Mans

Bentley's long association with Le Mans didn't get off to the smoothest of starts. "I think the whole thing's crazy. Nobody'll finish. Cars aren't designed to take that sort of strain for 24 hours." Such was W.O. Bentley's reaction in 1923, on hearing that private entrant John Duff planned to contest the first-ever Le Mans 24 Hour race in a Bentley 3 Litre. But the competitive fire in W.O's soul saw him make a last-minute dash to the La Sarthe circuit nonetheless. Inspired by Duff's 4th place (despite a lengthy stop to repair a holed petrol tank) and fastest lap, W.O and Bentley Motors returned in 1924 with a works entry - and won. It was the start of a glorious decade that saw five wins in seven years.

Bentley was back in 2001 with the EXP Speed 8, the start of a three-year programme targeting a sixth outright victory. And on Sunday, June 15th, 2003, Bentley's two works Speed 8s finished first and second in this most gruelling of endurance races. Car #7 of Guy Smith, Tom Kristensen and Rinaldo Capello covered 377 laps at an average speed of 214.33km/h, followed by the #8 Speed 8 of Johnny Herbert, Mark Blundell and David Brabham.