Am I the only one who finds luxury grand tourers with supercar performance more desirable than supercars? This Bentley Continental GT Le Mans Edition is the ultimate GT, made even more special as it’s the last call for Crewe’s iconic W12 engine in a world where electric power cannot be ignored, even for the likes of Bentley.
This car – secured by a buyer in Malaysia for RM4,540,696 including taxes – is one of 48 units of the Continental GT and GTC from the Le Mans Collection, which marks the 20th anniversary of Bentley’s sixth victory at the world’s most famous endurance race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Last year was also the 100th anniversary of the first Le Mans race, where Bentley recorded the fastest lap.
The Le Mans Collection includes unique exterior and interior details that echo the design of the Le Mans-winning Speed 8 race car, which as you would have guessed, wore the number seven. All Le Mans Conti GTs are in Verdant Green with a Moonbeam racing stripe across the bonnet and roof. Bentley’s chrome-replacing Blackline specification is present, a convenient nod to the green-black livery of the Speed 8.
Carbon fibre bits from the Styling specification are finished in black with a subtle pinstripe in Moonbeam. The lower front bumper, wing mirror caps and rear ‘horseshoe’ area beneath the bootlid spoiler are all in Beluga black. Also in black are the striking 22-inch 10-spoke wheels – behind them are carbon ceramic brakes with red calipers.
The most prominent mark of a Le Mans Collection car is the #7 painted on the Bentley matrix grille, which was originally developed to protect the radiator on the unpaved Le Mans racetrack of the 1920s.
Step inside and you’ll find a host of special touches – while some are obvious, others are almost Easter egg-like. The first thing that greets you is a bespoke welcome lamp that projects the 2003 wreath on the ground. The Conti’s cockpit is mostly covered in Beluga hide, but you’ll find Dynamica fabric on the seat faces. Contrast is courtesy of Hotspur (Bentley, it really should be called Gooner red) on the stitching, seatbelts and steering trim.
The lovely dual-finish veneer (Piano black and high-gloss carbon fibre, chrome pinstripe divider) has six wreaths (representing each Le Mans win) inlaid into the CF portion, and the six wreaths appear again on the treadplates, which sit next to Speed 8 sill plates. It may sound like a lot, but it’s all tastefully done.
We move to the more hidden cues, starting with the bit from the actual Le Mans-winning Speed 8 race car. Bentley’s super cool three-way rotating display (touchscreen, dual veneer for a ‘blank’ look, analogue dials) hides a vitrine that displays a part of the race car’s engine valve. The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 from the Speed 8 was removed after the race and preserved – now, 24 of its 32 valves have been bisected to create artefacts for this limited edition.
Another touch is in the clock – gone is the standard analogue timepiece, replaced by a digital one with a bespoke 24-hour design. 24h, of course.
Under that long hood lies the renowned W12 TSI engine, a 6.0-litre twin-turbo giant with 659 PS and 900 Nm of torque. Now discontinued, this regal mill pushes the Conti GT from rest to 100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 335 km/h. Highly respectable figures, but in a car that has every conceivable luxury and what must be a few cows worth of hide, it’s mind-blowing.
Keeping it all together is a combination of Bentley Dynamic Ride three-chamber air supension, the above-mentioned carbon ceramic brakes, variable ESC, all-wheel steering an an electronic limited slip differential.
Once again, this car belongs to someone in Malaysia who paid RM4,540,696, including taxes and duties, for the privilege. All 48 Le Mans Collection cars have been spoken for. This could possibly one of the best mementos from the ICE era to take into the electric age; suitably, the keys come in a nice presentation box with a Speed 8 inside.
GALLERY: Bentley Continental GT Le Mans Edition in Malaysia
The post Bentley Continental GT Le Mans Edition – 1 of 48 sold to Malaysian for RM4.5m, 20th anniversary of 6th win appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.
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