Bentley launches exclusive Le Mans special editions
Wed, 12 Apr 2023
Bentley is celebrating two milestones by creating a limited-edition series of Continental GT Coupés and Continental GTCs.
To mark 20 years since its sixth victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 100th anniversary of the legendary race, each vehicle in the Le Mans Collection features unique exterior and interior designs, including bespoke details that echo the design of the Le Mans winning Speed 8 #7.
The exteriors of the limited-edition vehicles are finished in a verdant green, with a Moonbeam racing stripe across the bonnet and blackline specification nodding to the black and green livery of the Speed 8.
Additionally, carbon-fibre Styling specification body components finished in black with a subtle pinstripe in Moonbeam, a beluga black lower front bumper, wing mirror caps, and rear ‘horseshoe’ area beneath the bootlid spoiler, and black 22-inch ten-spoke wheels with powerful carbon-ceramic brakes and red brake calipers complete the unique design.
The interior of the vehicles is trimmed in Beluga hide and equipped with performance-bred napped Dynamica fabric covering the seat faces. The dual-finish veneer on the fascia and door waist rails is executed in Piano Black and high-gloss carbon fibre, with a fine chrome pinstripe separating the two.
The Continental GT and GTC are equipped with Bentley’s renowned 6.0-litre W12 TSI engine, delivering 659PS and 900Nm of torque.
The vehicles’ four chassis technologies, Bentley Dynamic Ride and three-chamber active air suspension with adaptive damping, carbon ceramic brakes, Variable Electronic Stability Control, All Wheel Steering and an Electronic Limited Slip Differential, make the new limited edition an agile and high-performing car.
The Le Mans Collection also includes several unique features, such as the Bentley Rotating Display, which offers a choice of touchscreen, dual veneer, or analogue dials.
There is also a Vitrine display in place of the standard central dial, which showcases 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. Additionally, the standard 12-hour analogue clock is replaced by a digital clock with a bespoke dial design – a 24-hour one.
Bentley’s long association with Le Mans began in 1923 when private entrant John Duff planned to contest the first-ever Le Mans 24 Hour race in a Bentley 3 Litre. Although Bentley's founder, W.O. Bentley, initially thought the whole thing was crazy and that nobody would finish, he eventually entered five cars in the race.
